The Puppeteer and The Dragon
by Chaos HellLaser
Summary: Izumi Hyoudou the Dragon Empress and Bryce Hayate the Puppeteer. Two teens with troubled pasts plus dangerous powers equal massive chaos. crazy shenanigans and losing insanity. Eventual OC x Harem, Fem Issei , Fem Vali. Rated M for Blood and Lemons! Insane Fem Issei! Fem Vali! OC x Harem, Crossover Characters.
1. The New Students (Rewrite)

'Bryce-nii come on, wake up, wake up!" The said boy muffled a groan as he tried to swat away the hand that was tapping his cheek.

"Alright you asked for it!" The girl said before suddenly jumping onto his bed and pressed something against his face. "Oppai Attack!" she shouted as the boy underneath struggled to get up before suddenly having enough and shoved her off him.

"Really, Izumi." He said in a blank tone as he sat up. "It's kind of annoying when you do that." He quickly turned his head away as he got a good look at his roommate.

Izumi Hyoudou, was a young adult woman that had puberty hit her very early. Her chest was well-endowed and had a curvaceous body that men would die for.

Now you would think that this would get a boy like Bryce to react the same way normal boys would when seeing a hot girl or have one with them in bed…. It does not.

Getting up from the floor, Izumi wrapped her arms around Bryce's neck and pressed her breasts into his back. Her nipples easily mushed. "Aw, my little boy teased about waking up with a nosebleed~" She slyly teased him earning a blank look from him.

"You do this to me every morning and no, I'm trying to respect your space." Bryce said in an emotionless tone earning a frown from the brunette. He used to be a shy and quiet child but ever since _that _happened, he became an emotionless tool. Many things happened to them over the years but that would be explained later.

Aside from all that, she hated the fact that her best friend rarely show emotions. He was like a drone, a drone without its leader to follow a command.

Izumi was brought out of her thoughts when Bryce tapped her on the shoulder.

"Can we go to school already?" He asked her. "I rather not be late on the first day."

"Of course, but first." She jumped off the bed and grab his hand. "Come and take a bath with me."

"Fine." He complied with no objections, he found no problem since they bathe together almost all time but if he was a normal person, there would've been a different reaction to this.

* * *

Bryce had a blank face as he and Izumi both made their way to school. Izumi was wearing the female uniform but with her coat around her waist, leaving her in the button-down collared shirt and Bryce was wearing his outfit with no coat.

As soon as they got to school, they were met with stares from those around them. Both genders whispering about them not so silently, causing Izumi to sigh in annoyance while Bryce didn't care.

These people were annoying as far as Izumi could tell. Not even five minutes into the school and they are already the main topic in gossip.

*Sigh* this is gonna be a pain in the ass." Izumi said as Bryce turned his gaze to her. "We haven't even been here for a full minute and people are already watching us."

"Don't forget, this place was an all-girl school before it came coed." He reminded her as he pointed to the boys with perverted gazes. "And teenagers love gossip, whether they start it or hear something that may be a false accusation, to them it's what they use to entertain themselves when there is nothing better to do. So, it's natural for them."

Izumi gave him a deadpanned look. "That's not natural at all. If anything, that's just your own opinion for what's happening."

"You have a better one?" He challenged her as she opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out, so she just settled to cross her arms under her bust and gave him a slight pout.

"Okay then." He said as they continued walking to the entrance. Izumi was starting to get irritated with all the lustful stares she was getting from the boys, she turned to her companion and had an idea.

She quickly grabbed wrapped her arms around his left arm and pulled it to her in between her globes, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"What are you doing?"

"Making sure they know I'm taken." She replied.

"We're not dating."

"But we could pretend." She said with a sly grin before giving him the puppy eyes. "_Please~~" _

Bryce only stared at her for a few seconds before silently nodding and whispered.

"Fine."

"Works every time." Izumi cheered as they both headed inside the school and to the front office.

* * *

Izumi and Bryce were in front of the class as the teacher introduced them.

"Everyone, these are your two new classmates Izumi Hyoudou and Bryce Hayate. Please make them feel welcome.

"Hello, everyone. I am Izumi Hyoudou, it's nice to meet you all I hope we all can get along and become great friends." The brunette introduced herself earning a few greetings from other students. "Now it's your turn Bryce."

"I'm Bryce Hayate. Nice to meet you." He deadpanned as everyone sweat dropped at his short intro.

_'So blank.' _

"Well…*cough*… now that is out of the way… Izumi, Bryce would please take the two seats near the back window?" She asked them as they nodded their heads.

After settling in their new seats, both teens went on with class learning about history. Once class was over Izumi and Bryce were approached by two different groups.

"Izumi." The brunette looked up and met two pairs of eyes. The kendo girls, Murayama and Katase. "I'm Murayama and this is my friend Katase. It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you two."

"So, we were wondering if you would like to hang out with us after school today?" Katase asked as the brunette gave them a nervous smile.

"Um sure, is it okay if Bryce comes along too?"

"Sure. Don't want you to be too far from your boyfriend." Katase teased as Izumi glared at her.

"He's my best friend and that's all there is to it." She answered and then turned to Murayama who was frowning. "What's wrong?"

"Bryce is talking with the Pervert Duo."

"Those two idiots." Katase before turning her head and glared at the two other boys. "We should stop them before they corrupt your friend."

"Corrupt him?" Izumi asked in a confused tone while tilting her head.

"Those two idiots take peeking to a whole another level. Just keep your distance from them, and if they get near you and say anything sexual related to your body, just go ahead and pound them to the ground." Katase replied as Izumi nodded.

"We really should stop them." Murayama said as she intended to walk over to the desk only to be stop by Izumi. "Hmm?"

"Don't worry about it."

"But…"

"You'll see."

Bryce staring blankly at the two perverts that were trying to get him into peeping.

"Hey new kid."

"What?" Bryce replied as he turned to them.

"Wanna come with me and Motohama here, go to our secret spot?"' The bald one asked as Bryce blinked his eyes.

"Secret spot?" he asked in a confused tone. The glasses one leaned over and whispered.

"Me and Matsuda are going to our secret spot to peek on the kendo girls during lunch time." He said with a hand cupped over his mouth.

"So you want to join us?" They both shouted in an excited tone. Bryce just remained staring at them with his blank face before standing up from his seat. Walking in front of them, he placed their hands on both of their shoulders before giving them his answer.

"No." He said blankly before adding pressure to their shoulders.

"H-Hey, What are you…"

"What are you doing…" Both were panicking as Bryce was adding pressure to their shoulders, causing them to slowly fall to their knees. When they looked back at Bryce they both froze in fear as they saw his eyes, not only did they look liked death itself but it was so empty and hollow.

"I don't care for your curricular activities such as this nor do I want to be a part of them, however I find it rude that you are peeping on women. I don't know how long you've been doing it, but this stops now."

"As if you could stop us, from achieving our dream!" Motohama shouted as Matsuda agreed.

"Yeah, nothing will ever stop us from peeking on the beautiful girls of Kuoh Academy, this is where we can—" He stopped when he felt Bryce grip his shoulder tighter.

"I don't care." He said coldly. "Either lessen your activities or stop them completely. You should respect women not treat them as your walking sex toys… Now I'll only say this once…" He paused before leaning his head in and glared at them with a cold gaze. "…If you ever peek on my best friend Izumi, I will cut off your manhood and shove them down your throat and ass, understood?" he whispered harshly.

The pervert duo instantly paled at the thought of having their little juniors being cut off and then having to swallow them. They both looked like they were going to be sick, as sweat dripped from their forehead.

"Are we clear?" he asked, and they nodded their heads but that wasn't good enough for him. "**ARE WE CLEAR?**"

"YES SIR!"

"Get going." He said and the perverted duo scrambled out of the classroom like there was no tomorrow. Bryce went back to his notebook. The girls were staring at him with shock and awe while Izumi laughed softly.

"That's why I'm not worried. Bryce hates perverts and hates it when women are not treated equally… back in middle school, he would always protect me from bullies and others when the teachers wouldn't." Izumi said.

"Wow." Katase spoke as Murayama nodded her head.

"Well, thank you for the invite girls but maybe some other time… I'll see if we can hang out next week, I would like to get use to my surroundings before doing anything else." Izumi said as she stood up from her seat.

"Of course." Murayama replied as she shook her head with a smile. "If you ever need help, we'll be happy to oblige."

"Thank you both very much." Izumi said as she bowed her head and walked over to Bryce tapping him on the shoulder a few times before signaling him to follow her out of the classroom.

* * *

After leaving the classroom, both teens were underneath a tree near a bridge to the main building. Bryce was staring at his food in deep thought until the brunette snapped him out of it by placing aa fresh plate of gyoza in front of him.

"Here." Izumi offered as he stared at her with a blank expression. "It's your favorite, I made it for you because I know you won't eat the school lunch."

"You made this for me…?" He asked her.

"Well, it's my turn for dinner tonight. Plus, you skipped dinner again last night." She said in a soft tone.

Bryce just nodded his head and took his plate before eating his food. After eating his gyoza, he sat the plate down and proceeded to lie down.

"So…" he heard Izumi speak as she laid down next to him and laid her head back as they stared at the clouds. "… what do you think?"

"Of the school?" He asked as she said mumbled yes. "It's not bad… aside from the pervert duo and gossip, it's not really a bad place."

"I think it's pretty neat… we found ourselves a nice place for entertainment if were ever bored."

"You mean if you are ever bored." He deadpanned as she smiled at hin.

"Yep! She said in a cheerful tone. Izumi then decided to sit up and laid her head on his chest.

"Comfy?"

"Yep. Oh that reminds me, sooner or later we are gonna get notice by the devils."

"Whose here?"

"The little sister of Lucifer and the little sister of Leviathan." Izumi answered before pouting. "Just our luck."

"Why are the siblings of the two Maou here?" Bryce asked.

"Beats me, but we'll cross that bridge another day. Right now I just want to relax until next class." Izumi then turned her head towards him with a smile on her face. "Cuddle me."

"No." He replied earning a pout in return.

"Aw, spoilsport." She whined as she pinched his cheek and then laid her head back on his chest. Bryce just let her since he didn't really care, she seemed to like it, so it didn't bother him.

As they both rested near the tree, someone was watching them from afar. Someone with bright crimson red hair and blue-green eyes.

"Izumi Hyoudou. Bryce Hayate." She said as the bell ranged and they both left for class, her gaze never leaving them.

* * *

After school, Bryce was currently walking home by himself in deep thought. He was thinking back to the orphanage, where he met someone before it got destroyed. Izumi wasn't the only person he got along with, there was one more person that became his friend before she was taken away.

It's been so long since he's last seen her….almost 8 years.

He went behind his back and pulled something out of his pocket and stared at it. It was a tattered photo of him and a few other kids along with the caretakers at the orphanage before it was destroyed. He was in the middle of the photo, but that part of the image was gone. So, he had the image of a girl with blue hair and a green fringe with a small smile on her face with her arms were wrapped around something, he knew that it was him she was holding. He still remembers that photo to this day, where he wanted to stay out away from the image, but she was stubborn and dragged over to the middle before clutching him like he was a teddy bear and someone took the shot. This was only half of the photo that he was able to recover before it was destroyed.

"Xenovia, it's been almost a decade huh." He said as he remembered the times when he was a child before meeting Izumi. Xenovia was the first person around his age to interact with him when everyone else didn't. As blunt as she was sometimes, she did what she could to make sure he was smiling like it was her goal to see him happy.

Too bad those times were over.

"She probably hates me now anyway. Even if I was framed, it wouldn't matter. I failed her and I failed to keep our promise. So, she has every right to blame me for that day." He said with blank eyes but his tone was solemn.

He wished he could go back in time and stopped the massacre from happening, but you can't. You can't change the past and you can't fix something that's been broken by society and its harsh truths. A cruel and dangerous world.

It sucks but that's just the way it is.

"Hey." Someone had patted him on the shoulder. Bringing himself back into the real world, he turned over and saw Izumi with a smile on her face. "What cha got there?"

"Nothing." He said as he put the photo back into his pocket. "Nothing important."

"Oh well that sucks." Izumi pouted before her expression changed into an excited one. "Anyway, I got some great news."

"What?"

"I have a date this Sunday."

"How is that good news?" He asked her.

"My date is a fallen angel." She answered with a sly grin.

"Oh." He said as he realized why she was now happy. "So, is it a he or a she and are you gonna eat them?"

"A she and yes, of course I'm going to eat them. It's been awhile since I had fallen angel for dinner." Izumi said as she licked her lips in anticipation.

"Just don't come back home drenched in blood again." He said in what sounded like an annoyed tone. "I'm not completing up your mess." He then started walking faster.

"Oh come on, it was only one time okay. One!" She whined as she ran to catch up with him.

This is the story of how two teenagers, broken by society became heroes throughout the supernatural society and human societies.

This is the story of the Puppeteer and the Dragon Empress.


	2. A Dragon's Appetite

It was Sunday Morning as Bryce was sitting in the kitchen staring at the TV as it played a horror movie, it was showing a scene where a young adult was killing people in abandoned building.

Bryce just stared at the screen with blank eyes, and twirled the kitchen knife he had in his hand. He was in the middle of making some breakfast until the scene played out on the Tv and caused him to stop midway.

Watching the young teen that was in a hospital gown of some sorts showing off the large scar running along their back with the bruises and covered in blood made him think back to his own past.

Looking at the knife in his hand, he stared at the blade and saw how clean it was. He knew that it was missing something, something red.

Blood. His blood. Anyone's blood.

_You failed Us. _

He slightly stiffened at the voice ringing through his head. He felt a stinging sensation rang through as he felt the seeds of guilt and hatred emerging from his body.

Looking back at the blade at his hands, Bryce knew what he had to do.

Lifting the knife a little and the blade pointed directly downwards, he was about to thrust it towards his palm when a voice suddenly ranged through the kitchen.

"Brycieee~" Izumi called out playfully causing him to stop midway. He put the knife on the counter and turned around as his companion entered the kitchen.

Izumi was getting ready for her date as she was in nothing but a towel, wrapped around her breasts and her hair flowing down to her back.

"What is it?"

"What do you think I should wear to the date, a white blouse with ribbons?" she asked holding up the dress in her left hand before switching over to her right. "Or… this long blue frilly dress?"

"And why do you need my opinion in this?" he asked with a hint of curiosity. "You are killing her."

"Ugh. Boys." She sighed and shook her head in exasperation. "Just because I'm killing doesn't mean I still can't make a good impression. Gotta make our date enjoyable before delivering the finishing blow."

"…Okay." He shrugged his shoulders before pointing to one of her dresses. "Blouse."

Izumi quickly nodded her head, glad that he helped her out as she went back to her room, leaving the kitchen.

Bryce was about to go back to his own activities when Izumi came back still in her towel and appeared behind him, tapping him on the shoulder.

"Yes?" He asked.

Izumi had a frown on her face before holding her hand out as if she was expecting something. If he could he would've changed his expression to confusion as he stared at her hand wondering what she wanted.

"Give me it."

"What—"

"Bryce… give me the knife." She said with a firm tone in her voice. Bryce sighed inwardly as he took the knife from counter and handed it to her. Izumi with a frown on her face, sighed as she threw the knife into the sink away from them.

"Couch. Now." She ordered him.

Complying, he went straight to the couch and sat down with Izumi not far behind sitting down next to him. She heard a scream come from the tv as she saw a movie playing on the screen, grabbing the remote she turned it off.

"Bryce." Izumi called out to him as he turned his head towards her. "You need to stop doing this." She said in a worried tone. "do you need to talk about it?"

"I'm fine." He responded way too quickly for Izumi to believe his words, she knew that he wasn't okay.

"Bryce…" Izumi started as she leaned her head against his and gently grasp his hands. "… you know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

"Yes…"

"Just… *sigh*… please don't hurt yourself too much."

"I cannot promise that."

"Then just for tonight…" she pleaded as she gripped his hands tighter than normal. "…you can shadow me and my date from a distance."

"You don't need me to shadow you, Izumi." He stated to her.

"Bryce… please…"

The boy slightly stiffened as he saw the pleading look in her eyes. She was asking for him not to hurt himself, but he knew she was asking him much more.

"…Okay." He nodded his head in acceptance.

Izumi sadly smiled at him as she pressed a hand to his cheek and moved her head a little to kiss his forehead.

"Thank you…" She stroked his cheek with her thumb. Suddenly she pulled him down and had his head resting on her bosom, confusing him as he blinked at the sudden action.

"Izumi…"

"Just let me enjoy this." She said softly as he just nodded his head and kept his head there as she ran her fingers through his hair. Both enjoying the comforting silence.

* * *

Izumi was in the park by herself as she waited for her date. Her name was Yuuma Amano, and she approached her at the end of school while Bryce was waiting on her.

She didn't even know her for five minutes and was asked out by the shy girl immediately. Izumi wasn't fooled, she knew an act when she saw one.

Thanks to all that time sent in the looney bin along with Bryce, she's able to read people's expressions like a book. After all being asked out on a date, after meeting someone for five minutes was not common.

Plus she was exactly hiding the killing intent behind her fake smile, all in all it was a poor act.

She was wearing a sleeveless sweater with short pencil skirt and low heels, waiting on Yuuma.

Soon Yuuma arrived and both girls went to a restaurant and had lunch. Both girls had salad as they chattered among themselves about common things.

Izumi knew that by the end of this date, one of them would die and it would not be her. She also wondered what she would taste like, thanks to her dragon.

"Are you enjoying the food, Yuuma-chan?" Izumi asked with her head tilted.

"Yes, it's really good." Yuuma replied giving her a smile in return.

After a good meal, they spent the rest of the day hanging out together doing whatever girls did. Not that Izumi would know since she barely had any girl friends of her own age. Murayama and Katase didn't count. Well not yet at least. Izumi couldn't help but smile at meeting them, and was glad that she finally met them, but knew that once they learn what she did, she knew that she wouldn't hang around them anymore.

Eventually both girls arrived at the park, and they were now standing at the center near the fountain.

"Thank you for the date Izumi-chan. It was really fun." Yuuma beamed as the brunette scratched her cheek in embarrassment.

"Hehe, you flatter me too much Yuuma."

"Could you do one more thing for me to make this night memorable?" Yuuma whispered as Izumi mentally smiled cruelly.

_'And here it comes.' _

"Could you die for me?" Yuuma whispered into her ear as Izumi feigned confusion and tilted her head.

"Huh?"

Yuuma backed up before she transformed with her wings suddenly sprouted from her back and she flew up into the air, her casual clothes replaced with a dominatrix outfit.

"I said, would you please die for me Izumi~" She said in a seductive tone. She then formed a light spear and aiming it towards her stomach and threw it. To her surprise though, the light spear was immediately stopped as Izumi caught the blade with her bare hand.

Yuuma remained shocked as she stared at the blade that Izumi was holding with a smile on her face.

"Aww would you look at that, you tried to kill me?" Izumi said as the blade disappeared and put her hands behind her back.

"W-what?, How… how is that possible?"

"Oh, you mean your spear, well it was pretty easy to dissolve. It wasn't all that strong to begin with anyway, to be honest, it was pretty weak." Izumi sighed in disappointment. Raynare grew annoyed as a vein pulsed on her forehead, she was being taunted and called weak by this human no less. She wasn't weak, she was strong and hearing those words come from a human or better yet this pathetic low creature in front of her ticked her off.

"Weak!? Are you calling me weak, you bitch!?"

"Well no need to get all angry about it," Izumi waved off, her smile never leaving her face. "But yep pretty much.

"I'll show you weak." Raynare shouted as she formed two spears and threw them towards Izumi. The brunette simply giggled as she dodged the first one by simply moving her head to the side and dodged the second one by twirling around.

The fallen angel grew frustrated, forming more spears and throwing them with more force towards her target. Izumi just laughed and started humming tunes to herself as she dodged the spears with ease while twirling on her feet, performing a little dance.

Raynare gritted her teeth as none of her spears hit the brunette and decided to change tactics. She formed a giant spear in her hands and charged at Izumi, aiming for a finishing blow towards her stomach.

Izumi sighed as she held out her hand and caught the attack once again, with ease stopping Raynare as wind flew past Izumi from the force of the attack.

"W-what?"

"Well…that was boring." Yuuma noticed the change in Izumi's voice, it went from cheerful to boredom as a sigh escaped her lips.

"I guess that was all you can do?" Izumi asked while shrugging her shoulders. She grabbed Raynare by her arm and pulled her forward. As she did, she use her knee and slammed it into the fallen angel stunning her for a bit before kicking her back to the ground and planted her foot on her back.

"Why don't we take away your chance for escape..." Izumi muttered earning a confused look from Raynare before the fallen angel suddenly felt a huge amount of pain coming from her back and screamed.

A huge ripping sound echoed through the air as Izumi grabbed hold of Raynare's entire left wing and easily ripped it off her back. She tossed it to the side as Raynare screamed in agony, smiling cruelly as the fallen angel screamed.

"Oh, what's wrong? Does it hurt? Here why don't I make it feel better?" Izumi as she grabbed the other wing and ripped it off easily.

Raynare bellowed in pain as her wings were torn off her back. It felt like her soul was being ripped into two in the worst way possible.

"Wow, you look a lot better now Yuuma." Izumi mocked as she placed a hand on her cheek, watching Raynare twitch and gasp in pain as blood continuously flowed from her back. "Without those wings, you look like a bloody dominatrix prostitute."

Raynare tried to crawl away, she wanted to escape… escape this girl who was a monster. Not a sacred gear user, but a cruel monster.

She was stopped in her tracks as Izumi stepped on her back harshly, earning a howl of pain before being turned over onto her back. She looked up and her eyes widened in fear. Looking up she saw Izumi's figure being foreshadowed only showing her glowing red eyes as a black Aura appeared around her body and a figure of a dragon head appeared above her.

"W-What…what are you?" Raynare stuttered as Izumi giggled.

"Oh, nothing Yuuma, just your everyday average teenage girl who's nothing more than a lovable pervert and your average killer."

"M…m..m-m…m-m" Raynare was frozen in fear as Izumi leaned her head in and smiled sadistically at her attacker.

"Go on… say it…"

"M-m…monster!" Raynare shouted as Izumi laughed in a maniacal manner.

"That's right Raynare, I am a monster.… I'm your monster." Izumi whispered. Suddenly the dragon figure over Izumi loomed past her and chomped Raynare on her head before she could scream. Blood spattered all over the ground, her head was in pieces as the dragon tore if off the dead body and then spit it out.

Soon the dragon disappeared, and Izumi's aura faded away as she walked over to the dead body. She outstretched her hand towards the deceased body and soon a purple orb with black feathers floating around floated towards her.

Izumi grabbed the orb and held it to her mouth before biting into it and then swallowed it down her throat. As it disappeared, Izumi licked her lips tasting the blood that had splattered onto her mouth and smiled.

"That was good but not good enough, it needs more seasoning." Izumi says as she kneeled picked up the deceased body and opened her mouth revealing her sharp canines.

After 30 minutes, Izumi finished eating the dead body and licked her lips in satisfaction. "That's much better." She stood up and turned her head around as she heard a bush rustle and the small sounds of feet getting farther away from her.

"Looks like the little kitty cat finally scampered away." Izumi said as she rolled her eyes in annoyance. "And now things just got more annoying."

Izumi then looked down at her clothes and noticed the blood smeared all over.

"Oops, looks like I went overboard again. Bryce is not gonna like it." She then started walking away from the park with a smirk on her lips.

"Oh well, I'll be sleeping in the nude tonight. Too bad, I can't get a reaction out of him." She released a pout on her face as she continued walking home. "It's no fun when I can't tease him."


	3. Meeting The ORC

Izumi opened her eyes as she sat up from the bed, groaning a bit as she rubbed her eyes. Letting out a small yawn, she stretched her arms over her head as the covers slid off her body. She stopped as the fact she was feeling no air through her chest.

Looking down, she saw that she was wearing a one of her plain red t-shirts covering her upper body.

"I don't remember wearing this." She said in a confused tone. She soon turned her head over when she heard soft snoring come from beside her. She saw Bryce with his head on the bed laying on his front. She looked at his hands and saw some blood on them and was about to panic before realizing the fabric.

It was the same clothes from her date last night, she doesn't remember taking them off though.

_'__I fell asleep as soon as I came in. Bryce must've changed me into different clothes before setting me in bed.' _

Izumi softly smiled at her companion as she leaned her head down and gently stroke her thumb over his cheek. She then noticed the bags under his eyes, and frowned.

_'__The nightmares… how long has it been since he had proper sleep?' _Izumi thought as she picked up his head and settled him into her lap continuing her ministrations with his cheek. She also smelt a hint of blood coming off of him, and it wasn't his which she was glad for.

Although somewhere in her mind, something told her that he wasn't home when she was out on her date and she did feel the energies of the other fallen in Kuoh drop last night besides Raynare's so something else went down that night.

But before she could figure out where he went, a voice called out to her bringing the brunette out of her thoughts.

"Morning my child." Turning her head to the direction of the voice she saw a young mature woman with long black hair down to her hips and black grey eyes that represent reptilian slit pupils. She was wearing a black gothic Lolita attire showing off her cleavage with black x tape over her nipples. She also had a black hairband with pink ribbon tied around her neck and a large purple ribbon tied around her waist.

"Good morning, Mother." Izumi greeted the older woman. "What brings you here?"

* * *

Rias was in a worried state of mind, last night her rook came in to report but she was scared straight. Koneko came in with a shaking form before collapsing to her knees and kept muttering the words, monster over and over. Slowly, she explained what she saw through Izumi's date and then immediately went back to her fetal position.

Rias had Akeno accompany Koneko home and stay with her for the whole night. She was wondering what kind of person Izumi really was.

And then there was her companion. Bryce Hayate.

She hasn't met him and yet from afar she could tell that he looked more dangerous than her. From what she could tell, they were both polar opposites.

Izumi was bright, cheerful and outgoing while Bryce was dark, silent, and empty.

But she knew, she knew there was more to them, and after Koneko's report she had to figure out who they were. Wondering if they were friend or foe.

All Rias knew is that once she found out who they were…

She would not like it one bit.

* * *

Izumi was out in the field with Bryce as she stared at the students watching over. She was waiting for Rias and co to come find them after what happened with the fallen angels.

She looked down in her lap and saw that the boy was sleeping softly as she caressed his hair. She smiled at how peaceful he looked, though her smile would soon frown as she waited for him to start hyper breathing in his sleep.

He always would, those dreams of his that he had were nothing but visions of seeing the same thing over and over. It's a curse.

When they were in the loony bin, secretly they were both experimented on… by humans. Humans that knew of the supernatural existence and were looking for ways to fight against the three factions, so they were trying to make human weapons.

Izumi shuddered as she remembered the torture they were put through. They didn't even want to become weapons, but punishments were harsh. The worst they did to them was forcing them to kill other children. Other kids their own age.

It was horrible.

"Stop thinking about it." Izumi was brought out of her thoughts when she heard Bryce's voice. Looking down, she saw him with his right eye open.

"That's a bit hypocritical of you don't you think?" Izumi chuckled.

"Excuse me."

Both heads turned their attention to the voice and were met with purple eyes as a teenage girl with long black hair tied into a ponytail held by a yellow ribbon. Smiling as she greeted them.

"Yes, can we help you miss?" Izumi asked

"My name is Akeno Himejima, my president would like to speak with you two right now if that's okay. She would like to meet you guys at the ORC." Akeno informed.

"ORC?" Izumi pondered as Bryce stared at the older teen.

"Occult Research Club." He answered. "Their a club that specialize in the supernatural, you know, ghouls, angels, demons, devils, fallen angels, you know paranormal stuff."

"Ara, ara, someone sure knows their stuff. Perhaps some experience on the supernatural?" Akeno teased as she placed a hand on her cheek.

"Yes." Bryce said with no hint of denial tracing his voice. Izumi sighed at his blunt response while she decided to speak her turn.

"Sure, we can meet up with your chief. In fact, we could do right now if that's okay." She said earning a smile from the older teen.

"Oh, that's wonderful. You two lovebrids follow me and I'll take you there."

"We're not a couple." They both replied simultaneously.

"You could've fooled me. I mean you two rarely separate and you don't do hang out with any one else. I hear that's what other students have been saying." Akeno said as Izumi groaned in response.

"Jeez, rumors, really?" She said as Bryce shrugged his shoulders.

"Deal with it, it's one of the everlasting shenanigans dealt around high schools and they never stop."

"Right you are, my little kouhai." Akeno says as she sashayed her way towards him and leaned her face towards his, their noses almost touching. "And since you're single, maybe you and I could have a little chat sometime?"

"Aren't we chatting right now?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

Akeno was about to sigh until Izumi spoke.

"Don't blame him, his obliviousness is thanks to a friend of his that he rubbed off of. Believe me, I've tried to tease more times than I could count and I could never get through him." Izumi informed her as she pouted at the boy while the older teen giggled at her expression.

Soon they all arrived at the ORC and Bryce and Izumi noticed the Victorian decorations that the place had.

Akeno then opened the door to the main room, and let them in before letting herself in and announced her presence. "I've brought them Buchou."

"Thank you Akeno." The redhead thanked her as Akeno left the room to go leaving the other teens by themselves. Bryce looked around the room and noticed two others that were roaming around.

The first was boy with light blonde hair and blue eyes as he was leaning against the wall near the window and then there was a girl with white hair and amber eyes on the couch eating what he assumed was candy. As soon as she turned to Izumi, she immediately stiffened and started shaking and he knew there that it made sense.

This girl was the one that followed Izumi to her date and was terrified, well it's not like he could make it better.

Still that didn't mean he couldn't try.

He slowly walked over to the shaking girl and stood in front of her earning looks of confusion from Izumi and narrowed eyes from the redhead and blonde boy. The amber-eyed girl looked up towards him as he reached his hand out towards her head and started petting her.

Everyone in the room froze in bewilderment including Izumi who knew that Bryce rarely did anything out of his own way to help others.

"I brought tea everyone." Akeno announced with a tray of cups and tea before noticing everyone was staring at Bryce, following their eyes she saw why they were staring. "My, my, now that's unexpected."

Bryce then noticed the gazes behind him and immediately retracted his hand, earning a slight pout from the girl in front of him, though she didn't show it.

"Excuse me for touching your friend without permission." He apologized. "She looked very distraught so I thought I could help her out."

"By petting her head like a cat?" The redhead asked.

"Well she looks like one and has eyes like one." He stated as if it was obvious. "And she's the first one to not try and scratch me as soon as I pet her."

Everyone looked at him for a second before suddenly letting out small laughter at his joke earning a confused look from him while the girl in front of him let out a small smile play upon her lips.

"I guess when you put it like that, I can't help but agree." She said as she stood up from her desk. "Thank you for laugh, welcome to the ORC. I am Rias Gremory and I am chief of this club."

"Akeno Himejima, pleasure to meet you." Akeno introduced herself with a palm on her breast.

"Kiba Yuuto, nice to meet you." The blonde now named Kiba said with a bow towards them. Bryce nodded his head when he felt something tug his shirt, looking down he saw the girl pulling his shirt.

"…Koneko Toujou…" She introduced herself as Bryce pat her head earning a small purr from her, causing her to slightly blush at her voice.

"Bryce Hayate." He introduced and all were surprised at how emotionless he spoke, Koneko frowned at him wondering why he was like that. Izumi suddenly came behind him and jump on his back and introduced herself.

"Izumi Hyoudou at your service." She said as she sat down on the couch while Bryce sat next to her. "So, what do you want to talk about Rias?"

"Well… I wanted to talk to you about your… date with Yuuma." She said slowly earning a confused look from Izumi.

"How did you know about my date… you're not spying on me are you?" Izumi asked her before narrowing her eyes playfully at the redhead.

"No, absolutely not." Rias denied quickly. "It was just, something seemed off about her and well… you looked like you very excited about it."

"Oh." Izumi said with a face of recognition. "Well, I already knew that she was trying to kill me."

"Wait what!?" Rias called out in bewilderment. She was surprised at how easily Izumi just admitted that the fallen angel was trying to kill her. "Then why did you go out with her?"

Izumi just shrugged her shoulders. "Well I don't really have many girl friends as you can see besides Katase and Murayama. Bryce is my best friend and I've been his ever since childhood." She said as she smiled at him then turned her head back to Rias. "As for Raynare, I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt but I felt nothing but killing intent from her since she didn't even try to hide it so I basically killed her before she could kill me."

"That's very concerning." Akeno spoke in a worried tone. "If you did what you said you did, then you kill still be in danger."

"You mean the other fallen that are residing here?" She asked earning shocked looks from the room.

"How did you…"

"I took care of them." Bryce interrupted her as they all turned to him. He reached into his back pocket and took out two feathers. "These feathers belong to the ones called Dohnaseek and Kalawarner. There were three of them in general."

"What happened to the last one?"

"She escaped." He stated bluntly. Rias narrowed her eyes into his to look for any deceit hidden beneath them but she found none as she felt slightly disturb staring into his eyes. It was like he was looking directly into her soul, it was making her a bit uncomfortable.

"Alright, for now I'll take your word for it." Rias complied as he nodded his head, Izumi however knew that he was hiding something.

"Anyway, I wanted to ask you if you knew about the supernatural but it seems you both know that all too well. Still, it bothers me that two new students just randomly show up at our school and then take out three fallen angels like they weren't a big deal." Rias spoke with skepticism.

"What are you implying?" Izumi asked with her eyes narrowed.

"I'm not implying anything. I just want to know if you are either a friend or a foe to us." Rias said as she tried to calm the brunette down. "I want to know you are."

"We are human, that's it." Izumi shrugged her shoulders at the redhead. "Nothing more, nothing less, what difference does it make? It's not like we're here to kill anyone."

"We have no reason to attack you, we're only here for a fresh start and that's it." Bryce answered as he stood up and started to leave the room, but his path was blocked by Kiba who had his sword unsheathed, the blade pressed against his neck.

"Sorry, Bryce but I'm not done speaking to you." Rias said in a serious tone.

"Well I am, and if your knight doesn't remove his sword from my neck, I'll break his." Bryce threatened them as he slowly stared at Kiba, ready to end his life as if he was nothing.

Suddenly Akeno held out her hand, sparks of lighting dancing through her fingers while Koneko tightened her fist ready to fight but she started to hesitate. She was using her senjutsu and she could feel so much negative emotions in him, sadness, self-hate but most importantly… anger. She felt so much anger and bitterness within him, like it was about to explode at any second. Looking up at his eyes she saw that he was showing the same expression as earlier, no change at all… it confused her greatly.

"Listen princess, we're not here to pick with you or Sona. The last thing we need is you or her call your elder brother or Sera-nii and have her rain hell on our asses for false accusations…" Izumi informed them before narrowing her eyes at Rias. "On second thought, he might understand if his love for you doesn't blind him."

"Y-you know my brother?" Rias said with a surprise as they nodded their heads. "Well if you do than you know how much influence he has back in the devil world."

"Oh, give it a rest," Izumi face palmed herself as she held back a sigh. "You going to call your big brother for this, really, a princess like you can't handle two humans like us, or even the fallen?"

Rias narrowed her eyes once more and this time she gave a glare at the brunette. "You're getting on my nerves here."

"And you on mine, bitch." She called the redhead earning an angry look in return. "What's wrong don't like being called that? Well I say it fits you perfectly. Only someone like you would play with a person's life and let them die." Izumi mocked.

"Hey, don't disrespect Buchou!" Kiba shouted, defending his King while Akeno was inching towards Izumi. Unknown to them, Bryce finally had enough and suddenly grabbed the blade of Kiba's sword with his bare hand and then broke it off earning gasps across the room. He then moved towards the blonde, planting his knee right into Kiba's stomach, causing to cough up spit at the impact before being grabbed by the neck and lifted into the air.

"Enough." Bryce calmly stated as he stared at them. Akeno and Koneko both froze in place as they felt the killing intent coming off of him, it was massive and it felt so… so horrifying… it made them sick. Rias did her best to keep her composure as she started to sweat at the intense aura of death in the room.

"I'll say this only once, lay a hand on Izumi and I kill you. Simple as that." His words made them all tense in fear as he knew he was serious. Kiba felt the grip on his throat tighten as he started choking and started wringing in Bryce's grip.

"Let him go."

"Then don't bother us." Izumi stated with a cold glare. "We are here to settle not to fight but if it's conflict you want then you'll get it. Hell, it may reunite an old flame between the factions."

Rias eyes widened in terror as she took Izumi's words and figured out what she was implying.

"You wouldn't…"

"Only if I have to, and believe me when I say I will enjoy watching you all fight." Izumi smiled at her. Rias gritted her teeth in anger while Akeno and Koneko stared at the brunette still shocked at how easily she was suggesting to start a war and not caring about the casualties.

"Now then, while I would love to stay and chat, I think we overstayed our welcome." Izumi walked over to Bryce and patted him on the arm. "You can put him down, if he tries to attack you then you can go ahead and kill him."

Bryce let out a small sigh as he set Kiba down, by dropping him harshly to the ground as the blonde regained his breath.

"See you later, Rias. It's been fun meeting you." Izumi says as she and Bryce started leaving the clubroom, ignoring the glares being sent there way.

"Oh, that reminds me," Izumi stopped and turned her head towards Rias with a small smirk. "You may want to help that vampire of yours control of his… what was his name… Gasper was it?" She says enjoying the shocked look on their faces. "I'm serious, if you don't help him out of his shell, he'll be useless to help you in the future… and you have no one to blame but yourself for his fear." She finished her piece and walked out the room with Bryce following behind her as he closed the door.

After they were gone, Rias fire a blast of her magic towards the door, scorching the front from the impact.

"That scheming little…"

"What… monsters…" Kiba said as he slowly stood up.

"Buchou, we should avoid them for now." Akeno suggested earning a look of anger from her king. "Before you suggest we do anything to them, they aren't something we could just easily take down." Akeno said with a frown on her face. "You felt how different they were."

"Hai…" Koneko started as she spoke. "The killing intent off of them was overwhelming… and Bryce… I saw… something else…"

"Koneko…" Rias called out to her but the cat-devil said nothing as she was lost in her own thoughts.

Sighing to herself, Rias announced everyone to go home for the day and rest while she goes and talk to Sona. Akeno soon followed her and Kiba right after leaving Koneko by herself.

The cat had a rare frown and her gaze was filled with sympathy as she thought about Bryce.

_'__He looks… looks just like me…' _

* * *

The two were leaving the school as they ignored the gazes of the student council that were watching them. They soon separated when Bryce informed her that he had something to take care and told the brunette he would meet her at home later on.

Walking by herself, Izumi sighed as she thought back to the meeting with Rias, she knew things were going to be a pain in the ass for the next few days and how she was going to deal with it.

She was brought out of her thoughts when she felt someone bump into her and was knocked down to the ground.

"Ow."

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't see where I was going." She apologized as she felt her hand being clasped and she pulled the person towards her.

In view, revealed a petite girl with green eyes, long blonde hair dressed in a nun's outfit with a suitcase behind her. She had swirls in her eyes as she stood up.

"Are you okay? Izumi asked her.

"Yes, I am. Forgive me for being a bit clumsy." She apologized as Izumi waved her hand dismissively.

"Ah, water under the bridge. Anyway, what's a nun like you doing out here?"

"Oh, I'm from America… I came here to search a church that can—wait!" She paused in her speech, staring at Izumi with shock. "You can understand me?"

"Yes, your voice sounds American so I only assume you were from America." Izumi replied while the younger girl sweat dropped at her answer.

"That's pretty vague."

Izumi use a finger to scratch the side of her face as her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "I wasn't sure until you confirmed it for me."

"Putting that aside, could you show me around Japan and then guide towards the church?"

"Sure." The brunette happily before introducing herself. "By the way, I'm Izumi, Izumi Hyoudou."

"Pleasure to meet you, my name's Asia, Asia Argento."


	4. Blonde Outcasts

After the small yet hectic meeting with the two new figures, Rias decided to take her peerage to the abandoned church that was in the upper part of town. She had some suspicion on Bryce's statement on the remaining fallen within the area. She didn't call him out at the club but she knew that he was hiding something from them.

The way he said that he dealt with them, and that one had escape… it didn't sit right with her. Feeling from his power earlier, he should've been able to deal with all three of them, so what was it?

"Buchou."

"Hmm?" Rias was brought out of her thoughts when she heard her queen called out to her. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Akeno. Just thinking to myself." She said as she and co gazed up at the abandoned church. "Strange… I don't feel any power coming from here."

"Indeed, my instincts aren't screaming at me to run away. In fact, I don't feel any sense of danger at all." Kiba said with confusion written upon his face.

"Koneko." Rias called out to her Rook who was staring at the church with a frown on her face.

"I… I smell blood." She said as she walked forward and up the steps with the others following her. Once they got to the door, Koneko barely opened it and the stench hit their noses like a freight train, forcing them to cover their nostrils.

"Oh God, what is this-!?" Rias paused in horror as Koneko opened the door fully this time so they could enter but once they saw what was inside they remained stiff.

Numerous bodies of fallen angels were mutilated in various ways, broken windows were stained with blood or glass embedded in the fallen angles, hell there was one impaled in the middle of the ceiling with a huge piece of wood stabbed through their gut.

Soon, underneath there the secret room of where a ceremony should have taken place.

"Oh… my… god. Eh!" Akeno said before feeling the slight pain in her head of the forbidden word to devil, but she couldn't help it as she saw the onslaught of the fallen angels around her. she couldn't help but feel a little guilty about it. Sure she may have a hate for her status as a hybrid and has no problem punishing fallen angels but not to this degree. Not to this… manslaughter. It was inhumane.

"I guess Bryce wasn't kidding when he said he took care of them." Kiba said as he stepped over a dead body with their eyes missing. "Good thing, he wasn't descriptive about it."

Rias could nod her head at his statement. She was still baffled by how much blood was spilled and how cruel this scene looked. If she had to guess these were just followers of the fallen that were in command as she didn't find Dohnaseek or Kalawarner anywhere, so they had to be somewhere else.

As the redhead was thinking to herself, Koneko left the group as soon as they stopped and gazed at the bodies. When she walked over to the middle of the room, she noticed a small opening that looked like a secret room. Not bothering to tell the others, she opened and found herself a flight of stairs leading downwards.

Walking she smelled blood once again but not as bad as the first floor, but she had this feeling in her gut that what she was about to see would be worse than it was upstairs.

She hoped she was wrong.

As soon as she made it to the center of the cave she immediately stopped and her eyes widened in horror at what she saw.

"Koneko." Rias called out to her as the rest of them came up to her. "Don't run off like that. It's not like to even…" The redhead stopped as she noticed Koneko wasn't even moving.

Moving in to her side, Rias saw the little neko's eyes full of fear and horror as she followed her gaze and let out a gasp that got everyone's attention.

"Buchou… this… this is…" Kiba stuttered as he became stiff at the sight of what they saw as Akeno held a hand to her mouth.

In front of them, on the pedestal was Kalawarner and Dohnaseek. Or what's left of them.

Kalawarner had her eyes ripped out of her sockets, her wings ripped out of her body and stabbed inside her sockets with her mouth wide open. Her head was also decapitated and stuffed inside her chest with blood still dripping and her legs were cut into pieces.

Dohnaseek was even worse. He had his eyes ripped out of his mouth and had an entire wing shoved down his throat with his head on a pike and his body was tangled in front of them all mushed together like he was thrown into a junkyard incinerator.

"This is…a manslaughter." Kiba said as he fought the urge to throw up at the sight of the two fallen. "This is what he meant, when he said that he took care of them?"

"It's cruel. This is not even a merciless killing it's…"

"A complete manslaughter. That's what it is." Rias said as a frown marred her expression. _'Those two are more dangerous than I thought, I can't let them roam free murdering innocents as well.' _

"If this is what they came here to do, I can't let them roam free." Rias said as she commanded them to follow them out as she would deal with the dead bodies later.

Koneko was still shivering in terror at what she saw, the way they were killed was inhumane and horrible. Instead of feeling fear and disgust towards the boy, she only felt concern for his mental state.

_'__Bryce… did all of this…?"_

No one just goes around killing others for their own amusement, no the way they were killed, and how brutal it was… this was something else.

Koneko didn't know why but she needed to know, what drove him to do something like this? More importantly…

_How do we help him?_

* * *

Bryce was walking home in silence. After the conversation with the ORC, he decided to head home while she went to do her own things.

The only sounds ranging through his ears were the sound of the traffic lights changing and cars passing by every now and then. He was stopped in his tracks when he heard a small sound beside him, looking down he saw a black cat running through his legs as his eyes followed the small animal.

_'__A black cat?' _he thought as his eyes followed the feline as it was crossing the street and then stopped on the other side of the sidewalk to look at him.

He stared back at the feline wondering what it wanted until a car slowly drove by in between them and the cat was gone. His gaze remained in place for a few more seconds before he continued walking home.

_'__What does she want?' _He asked himself. He thought about the cat but put it away as he remembered that he had another guest at home, one that he needed to take care of.

Arriving at his home, Bryce opened the door and dropped his bag and shoes beside the door, leaning them against the wall before making his way to the living room. When he entered the room, his eyes gaze towards the couch where his guest was.

His guest was a petite teenage girl wearing a gothic Lolita outfit and her headband was placed on the table. Walking over he softly tapped her on the shoulder, earning a groan in response. The girl slowly sat up as she rubbed her eyes with her forearm. Trying to regain her vision, she looked and saw Bryce staring at her with hollow eyes with a hint of concern.

"Hi Mittelt." He greeted her as the latter had her eyes widened in recognition of who she was seeing as she immediately sat up.

"You're….you're from last night.?" She spoek as he nodded his head. The now named Mittelt was about to form a spear when Bryce raised his hands.

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you."

"Then why didn't kill me?" She growled at him showing off her teeth.

"Because you were abused."

"…What?"

"Your wounds, i saw some that were recent and others that looked like they've been there for far longer." He told her.

Mittelt looked at him in shock as she quickly lifted her shirt and saw some gauge on the right side of her torso, one of the wounds that she had for a month.

"I'm sorry I for touching you, but I needed to see how deep your wounds were so i…"

"Why…?" Bryce looked up and saw the blonde fallen stared at him with a frown on her face.

"Why are you helping me?" she asked him as she gazed down to her lap. "Why would you help a fallen when I could just betray you and kill you later?"

She didn't receive an answer as she heard a shuffle and knew that he was moving. Mittelt closed her eyes and prepared for the worse as she waited for pain to hit her, but nothing came. Instead she felt a hand on her head caressing it softly.

Looking up she saw was met with hollow eyes but she could see a hint of sympathy within them.

"Because no one should be alone in this world, nor should they have to deal with abuse and be treated like they are a nuisance." He explained as he sat down next to her, his hand never leaving her head. "Every life in this world is precious, whether you are a human or a fallen, devil, angel, or simply something else, no life should ever deal with pain and hatred all their life." He turns his head to her. "Everyone deserves kindness in their life."

Mittelt could only stare at him in shock as she felt her body slowly starting to tremble. For as long as she could remember, she was never really treated as an equal back home in Grigori by anyone other than Azazel and Pemenue. Everyone else treated her like a child or a nuisance and was never taken seriously, her peers even tortured her whenever something went wrong on a mission, so seeing that this boy in front of her, this human, treating with her kindness even though she's an enemy was so foreign and shocking to her.

"Sorry if I made you uncomfortable." Bryce apologized before he noticed small tears going down the young fallen's face. He was about to get some tissue when suddenly she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head in his chest, confusing him.

"Are… you okay?" He asked only to hear small giggles come from the girl.

"I'm sorry… it's just been so long, since someone treated me like a person." She spoke with sadness in her voice. _'To think that a human would be the one to give me that kindness.' _She thought as she unconsciously tightened her hold on him. He felt warm to her, that small ray of light that filled her chest with happiness, she never wanted to let go.

"Mittelt, you're squeezing me." He spoke in a blank tone, as the blonde opened her eyes and looked up and him suddenly noticed what she was doing before letting out a small yelp and let go.

"S-stupid baka."

"Hmm?" he called out in a confused tone.

"N-n-nothing." Mittelt quickly waved off before letting out a fake cough. "So, what happens now?" She asked him.

Bryce started to think as he looked towards the kitchen with a pondering look. It was his turn to cook tonight, for some reason though he felt like he would have to cook for four people so he would have to get started on prepping dinner before Izumi came home.

He turned back to Mittelt and asked her a simple question.

"What would you like for dinner, little rabbit?"

* * *

Izumi and Asia were both on the bench in the middle of the park as the water splashing in the fountain behind them and the chirps of birds around them were the only sounds ranging through the air.

"So Asia," Izumi started earning the blonde's attention. "You are from America?"

"Italy, actually." Asia corrected her. "I spent the last year alone in America, but I was born in Italy." She explained. "As you can see, I am also a nun…well former nun."

"Wow, that's actually pretty cool." Izumi smiled at her before realizing something. "Wait what do you mean by former nun?"

Asia then frowned as she turned her gaze towards the ground.

"Izumi, do you… do you believe in god?" The blonde started earning a confused look from the brunette. "Do you believe in the supernatural, you know devils, angels, fallen angels, ghosts and all?"

"Yes."

"Well let me just say that, it is because of my actions that I was exiled from the church."

"Exiled!? What did you do?"

"I healed a devil." Asia replied. "At the time I didn't know that they were a devil but it's because of them that I am not affiliated with the church anymore."

"Wait," Izumi interrupted her. "I don't understand, why would you heal a devil?"

"Well, I didn't know what happened but, I thought I was just helping someone." Asia stated as Izumi started to listen closely. "I was an orphan when I was born, I didn't have any family but the nuns there raised me as one of their own. Years later, when I was maybe eight or nine, I discovered my Sacred Gear when I saw one of the nuns bring in a hurt child. I was praying so hard to God to save her and because of that I had these appear on my fingers." Asia explained as she lifted her fingers to Izumi and the latter saw the Sacred Gear she had in her possession.

"Twilight Healing."

"You know what they are?"

"Only that it has the power to heal, nothing more." Izumi answered her. She didn't really know much about it as she never really asked her mother.

"After my Sacred Gear appeared, I was immediately taken in by a large church where I was trained into using gear by helping sick from all over the country, I even traveled to different parts of the world as well, all in order to help people." Asia smiled for a moment at the remembrance of her actions of helping others until it morphed back into a frown. "But that didn't last forever."

"What happened?"

"A year ago, I encountered a man that was bleeding and looked like he was going to die. I was able to heal him but… he wasn't human. He was a devil."

"A devil?"

"When people found out, they started to turn on me and saw me as a heretic. Even the church I grew up in turned their backs on me, and because of that I was exiled." Asia explained as she turned her head and slightly flinched at Izumi's expression. It showed anger but not at her, it was at everyone else. She couldn't believe it, humans turned on one of their own all because she healed someone, who she didn't even know that was a devil?

"THAT'S NOT FAIR!" Izumi suddenly shouted scaring the blonde. "You didn't know that he was a devil, you were just trying to help and what, just because she healed a devil, she's suddenly a heretic? Throwing you out for something so stupid! IT's ridiculous." The brunette vented as Asia gave her a sad smile.

"It's okay, Izumi. I made peace with being called a heretic a long time ago. Though deep down, I feel like this is a test for me?"

"A test?"

"To show where my loyalties or faith lies, but to be honest there's only one thing I want in this world?"

"And what is that?" Izumi asked as she sat back down.

"To make lifelong friends, to be able to have fun together and do so many things as a group, take care of each other as if we were family." Asia said in a soft tone. "But… I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon, now that you know who I am Izumi you probably hate for being a heretic or maybe you're just doing it out of pity-!" Asia was stopped midway as Izumi suddenly hugged the girl and brought her head close to her chest.

Izumi felt sad as she heard Asia's story. She couldn't someone as kind as her had to suffer so much for something she did wrong, and it wasn't even wrong. She was helping someone who she didn't know was a devil and she ended up being outcasted by her fellow peers and was now alone.

She was not going to let her.

"I don't care…" She started as she tightened her hold on Asia. "I don't give a damn what anyone says, you are friend, outcast or not."

"But… wouldn't I cause you trouble just by being around you?" Asia asked as Izumi moved her head back to gaze into Asia's green eyes with her own.

"No, because as of this moment I am your friend and you're my friend too." Izumi stated with a soft and gentle tone.

Asia felt tears pricking up in her eyes before she smiled at the brunette in front of her.

"Thank you, thank you so much Izumi." Asia replied as she hugged her back.

Izumi thought to herself about Asia. She was kind of like her and Bryce, no friends and they were outcasts in society but unlike them she was a sweet and kind girl that was willing to help anybody. Izumi knew it was a long shot but she was willing to be this girl's friend no matter what.

As they released each other from the hug, Izumi spoke once more.

"Asia, you said that you had a church to go to?"

"Well, I did. I wanted to go to the one here since its abandoned only going because I have no home to go to." Asia explained.

"Come on." Izumi then grabbed the younger girl's hand as they started walking in the opposite direction of the church.

"Where are we going?"

Izumi just turned her head towards Asia and gave her a kind smile. "I'm taking you home."

* * *

Rias was sitting in SCC with Akeno across from two other girls, they're friends/rivals Sona Sitri and Tsubaki Shinra.

"I'm sure you already know about the new students?" Rias asked Sona as the latter nodded her head.

"Yes, I have met one of them already earlier this week, Izumi Hyoudou." Sona started as she fiddled with glasses. "She seems like a nice girl and a hard worker, but looks can be deceiving."

"What do you have on them?" Akeno asked her.

"Nothing." Tsubaki answered as Rias And Akeno were confused at her words.

"What do you mean nothing?"

"What she means is that there is no data of them, other than their names there's history of where they came from or family relation." Sona answered.

"So either they lied creating false records coming in here or someone doesn't want them to look back on their history."

"That could be the case."

"Doesn't matter." Rias interrupted them as she had a serious expression on her face. "I will not allow these two to come here and hurt innocent people."

"From what it looks like, they haven't really done anything to cuase trouble, if anything one of them only receive good comments about them." Tsubaki interrupted, earning looks of confusion. "Two days ago, I was approached by two kendo girls, Murayama and Katase. They were talking about the progress of the kendo club and how they didn't have to worry about the Perverted Duo. When they were trying to spy on the girls, Bryce not only threatened them to take away what makes them a man but he also covered all the spots of where they were hiding."

"So, he stopped the Perverted Duo?"

"I doubt for long but still Bryce did just because, he didn't give them a reason to why he was doing it. He had one of the kendo girls watching him the entire time of where he was covering all the hiding spots the Duo had."

"And why is that?"

"He said if it made them feel better that one or a few of them were watching him to make sure he didn't do anything perverted."

"Sounds like Bryce is the noble one. Mysterious but is helping others at his own accord with no objective." Sona commented.

"Still one good deed doesn't mean they aren't dangerous. For all we know he could be doing it for something else and is just hiding his motives."

"Rias…" Sona called. She knew her friend was a bit on edge after the last encounter they had with the two new students but they weren't exactly doing anything that was considered dangerous or troubling.

"Sona, I'm going to take care of them tomorrow. As soon as they arrive, I will deal with them permanently."

Sona eyes glared at the redhead coldly. "Rias, you can't just attack them without a valid reason. I get that they threaten your peerage but you can't fight them. Even if I allowed it, we don't know anything about these people nor where they came from or any evidence."

"Allowed it?" Rias repeated as she glared at her friend. "What do you mean if you allow?"

"It's what exactly what I mean Rias." Sona replied in a cold tone. "They are students here and as long as they are, you will not harm them in any way. Am I clear?"

For a moment both Kings glared at each other in silence, the air between them becoming filled with tension. Rias glared at Sona for a moment before scoffing slightly and stood up.

"As you wish, Sona." Rias said as she turned her head around. "We shall take our leave." She announced as she left and Akeno bowed at them before following her King out the door.

Sona let out a sigh as she pressed a hand against her forehead. She could already predict that Rias will engage them one way or another and it won't be pretty. They both can agree on some things but she wasn't going to let her attack two new students just out of petty revenge and judgement.

"She's going to go through with it, isn't she?" Tsubaki spoke but already knew the answer.

"I'm afraid so." Sona breathed as she turned to her queen. "While a good king she is, pride is the one thing that she always let get the best of her."

_'__Not like I have room to talk about pride.' _Sona thought.

"So, what are we going to do?" Tsubaki asked with concern laced in her voice.

"Let this thing play out. You and I are going to watch the interaction between them, if things escalate too high then we'll intervene."

"Understood." Tsubaki nodded her head.

"Thanks, you may take your leave." Sona says as her Queen headed to the door and left the room leaving the young Sitri alone in her thoughts.

_'__I need to call Sera-nii later on." Sona says as she pulled out a drawer and pick up an old ribbon, it looked worn out and faded but it was still intact. 'If my predictions are correct, then I think I may have found him.' _

* * *

Serafall Leviathan was in currently in the underworld in the middle of a forest but she was not alone. She was walking on her own reminiscing about the past when a sudden chill went down her spine as if someone was watching her.

Soon she came face to face with a woman that stared at her with dead lifeless eyes, she was in a Lolita outfit that looked a little childish but Sera had no right to complain seeing as how she was in her own Magical Girl outfit.

"Who are you?"

"Serafall Leviathan, you are one of the four Maou of this world are you not?" The woman asked her as she nodded her head.

"Yes I am." Sera answered as she narrowed her eyes. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" She asked although she could not shake off the fear she was feeling at the moment and the tremendous power this woman was holding, it was overwhelming.

"Fear not." Ophis replied. "I've not come here to harm you, I'm actually here to help you."

"Help me?" Sera raised an eyebrow at this.

"You met one of my children from long ago."

"Your children?" Serafall had a confused look at the woman in front of her, not knowing that she was Ophis. "I'm sorry miss but I'm afraid I don't know who you are talking about. If your children are lost then I can help you find them."

"No, my children are doing well. I mean that you have met one of them in the past, goes by the name Bryce Hayate." She explained.

Serafall eyes then widened at the name mention before her. That name brought flashbacks to her mind, she remembers seeing a lonely boy that was by himself while other kids stayed away and she offered to be his friend.

As she could remember, he was just a shy kid and couldn't interact with others very well. She remembers that he told her that his best friend had went away and that she was not coming back, so Sera decided to cheer the boy up by spending time with him, it was only one day but she had fun with him. Underneath that shy exterior he was an honest and kind boy. Unfortunately, she had to leave when it was time to go, but she decided to surprise him by visiting him again in one week finishing all her tasks in the underworld so she could see him again. She went to visit him again a week later, only to find out that he had disappeared and that his name was nowhere in sight as if he was a ghost.

She could still remember the ribbons he gave her as way to make their friendship official. Sera felt so sad that the boy she grew fond of disappeared. She searched for him for so long and was still doing so to this day but always came up empty handed, but this woman in front of her was telling her that he was alive.

It left so many unanswered questions in her mind, if Bryce was alive then where was he all this time? Why did he not tried to find her or why did he disappeared? Better yet why did no one keep records of him?

"Is it true… is he really…?" Sera's voice was filled with worry as Ophis answered her.

"Yes. He is alive but is far from okay."

"Can I see him?" Sera asked her too quickly. Ophis raised an eyebrow in curiosity as Sera gazed at the ground with a frown. "If… if what you say is true… and he is alive… then… please take me to him… I need to see this for myself."

Ophis slowly walked over to Serafall and gazed into the woman's eyes with her own soulless ones. She could see the determination and concern in the devil's eyes. Ophis has met many humans and devils that had a hidden motive within their words but she could see no deception coming from Sera, she could see that she wanted to see her child for comfort, reassurance, and closure.

"Do you speak the truth? Do you truly want to see my child and nothing else?"

"More than anything." Sera said with a determined expression.

Ophis let out a rare smirk as she turned around. "Very well, I shall take you to him." Ophis said as she opened a portal and was about to walk into it until Sera stopped her.

"Wait, you still haven't told me your name?"

"I believe I shall tell you as soon as we rendezvous with my children. Come." Ophis ordered her as she went through the portal, Sera stared at portal for a few more seconds before regaining her determination and ran through the portal as it closed behind her.

* * *

**Sorry, uploaded the chapter without note the first time. Anyway, I would like to say that next chapter is a fight scene between Bryce and Izumi against the ORC and then possibly expect a certain flaming phoenix to come into the picture as well, although the latter may come in chapter six. Still I think you all for reading this story and I hope you are enjoying it. **

**Read, Review, and See you next time.**

**HellLaser descending back to Hell.**


	5. School Trouble

In the apartment, Mittelt and Asia were on the couch watching a tv show with glee and curiosity as they saw random people running on a platform. Bryce and Izumi were in the back of the kitchen, the former quietly sitting at the counter while the latter was humming to herself as she chopped some vegetables.

After Bryce and Mittelt chatted, Izumi came in with Asia and both were surprised at the seeing the other with someone. After an explanation from both sides, the older teens both decided that they would take them both in. Izumi then suggested that both girls get to know one another while she and Bryce make dinner.

Izumi continued humming as she poured the vegetables from the chopping board into the pot before grabbing the lid and set it on top. Turning around, she turned her gaze to Bryce who was also staring at the girls.

"Hey," She called out to him earning his attention. "I'm really glad that the girls are staying with us."

"Hai." Bryce nodded his head. "They both deserve a home or at least a better life, not the one we're living." He stated as she nodded her head in agreement.

"Yeah, I hear you." She glanced over back to them with a sad look on her face. "Asia is just a sweet girl, she was just helping someone and in return she got nothing but hate and was ostracized for it. She's been on her own longer than she should. She didn't deserve that." Izumi stated with a frown.

"I could say the same with Mittelt." Bryce started as he stared at the blondes. "She had no friends her age and her peers always abused her for the smallest of things and placed the blame on her, apparently the whole Grigori did. She told me that only two people saw her as one of them but even they couldn't be around her all the time, she said that they were important figures but she didn't want to tell me who they were." He explained.

"That reminds me," Izumi started as she turned to her companion with a cold glare. "I need to find the devil that made Asia lose her status as a healer and turned her to a heretic, not to mention pay the Angel faction a small visit."

"Don't." He started stopping her as she gave him a pout.

"Why not?"

"As of right now, we only know that the Angel Faction outed her but we don't know who the devil was."He pointed out. "Did she tell you who it was she healed?"

Izumi moved to speak but paused as she realized that he was right and that Asia didn't tell her about the devil that played a role in her excommunication. She let out a small sigh and crossed her arms.

"No… she didn't." She said looking away from him. Bryce knew that he somehow upset her with his words so he decided to give her a suggestion.

"How about this?" He spoke but she didn't turn back to him. "I go to the place where Asia healed the devil and scout the area, possibly the entire city and find out on our mysterious figure. That way you can go and kill them."

"I'm listening." Izumi said walking over to him as leaned her back to him, lazily raised her hands behind her head to wrap them around his neck. Bryce didn't react to the tease she was giving him as he continued speaking.

"I just need to ask mother about transporting me there and back so I don't take forever." He concluded.

"Well," Izumi paused as she looked up the ceiling in thought. "you know mother is always on the move and never stays in one spot, plus she keeps going back to Infinite Dimension to antagonize Great Red." She put air quotes when she said antagonize. "Of course, this has no effect since he is always replying with jokes and teases her to no end." She explained earning a blank gaze from her companion.

"I didn't know, that Great Red could do that." He said feeling Izumi move her head a little as she had a small smile on her face.

"Well of course he could, not all dragons are the same like mother is. Every dragon is living being like us with emotions, and that includes her. Ddraig and Albion with their pointless rivalry, Aunt Tiamat with her anger towards Ddraig and Uncle Tannin with his joy as he and Ophis trained us." She stated as she sat up and turned her body towards him.

"And our mother, I know deep down that she has love for us in her heart even if she has a hard time expressing it."

"I guess you're right." He nodded as he stood up from his seat. "Still I wish to contact mother."

"Don't worry, when she comes around again then we can ask to help us with that." Izumi reassured.

"Oh my god." Both teens turned their head to the younger girls as they saw Asia staring at the screen with worried eyes while Mittelt was having a hard time trying not to laugh.

"What's wrong Asia-chan?" Izumi asked as she walked over to them and bend her knees.

"That poor man was running on the platform and then he suddenly flew off into the water. He could be hurt why isn't anyone helping him?" she spouted in a worried tone.

Izumi raised an eyebrow as she turned her head to the tv and then realized what they were watching. She simply giggled to herself at Asia's worried expression before placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder.

"No need to worry about him Asia-chan. He's okay as you can see." Izumi reassured her as she pointed to the tv. They saw the man climbing out the water and onto the ladder going up the platform again.

"He is okay," Asia said before her face morphed into confusion. "But why is he going through it again, wont the same thing happen?"

"Not always." Bryce said as he came over and stared at the tv. "This is what people call Wipeout, it's a game show in America where play for a ton of money as they dodge weirdly shape obstacles and other things."

"Oh…" Asia said in understanding while Mittelt gave an irritated look.

"So these humans are playing a dumb game and get themselves into a game show all for money?" She said as she crossed her arms. "That sounds stupid."

"It does." Izumi agreed as she pointed to the tv. "But when it comes to game shows like these where you can enjoy seeing someone getting knocked out of the stage because it's funny and they say wacky comments all the time, it's worth watching."

They watched the same man get up and run across the platform again, this time he jumped over the springing mat and yelled in success. He continued running before getting knocked to the water again by a punching glove.

This earned some laughs from Izumi and Mittelt while Asia gave a cringe look from when she saw the person get hit in the face. Bryce just stared at the tv but inwardly he was glad that the girls were enjoying themselves.

They continued watching until they heard a ding come from the timer and Izumi immediately sprung up and walked over to the kitchen. After checking the pot, she called out to the others.

"Alright everyone, dinner's ready."

Asia and Mittelt sat up by the counters while Bryce was standing earning a confused looks from them. Izumi poured some food into four bowls before carrying all of them within her arms, quickly setting one bowl in front of them before sitting down in her seat.

"Itadakimasu." Izumi said with her hands together.

"Itadakimasu." They all followed. Asia and Mittelt both took a bite of their foods and their eyes were filled with joy.

"This is delicious." Asia commented as Mittelt took another bite.

"It's really good. I didn't know you could cook, Izumi-san." The fallen angel commented as the brunette let out a small smirk.

"Well I am good aren't I."

"Yes, you are." Bryce stated as he continued eating. He felt a tug on his shirt and saw that Mittelt was giving him a confused look. "What's wrong?"

"Why are eating your food while standing?" She asked him.

"We don't have anymore chairs." He gave her a simple answer earning a blank stare from the fallen.

"Then just go get another one."

"What he means Mittelt is that when we first came here we only three chairs to begin with. Two for us and one for a guest. We never expected to have anyone over, so yeah sorry about that." Izumi explained before giving Bryce a seductive look. "Although Bryce, if it made you feel better I can always sit on your lap and we could share~"

"No." He said earning a pout from her.

"Man, I can never get you."

Ignoring the innuendo, Mittelt made a suggestion. "Had you guys thought about getting a bigger place?"

"Well, we wouldn't know where to start. We would want to be close to school and not travel a long way." Izumi answered as she finished her currying. _'Speaking of which we should probably ask Sona-san about enrolling them. I know she'll take Asia just fine but she may have a problem with Mittelt.' _She thought to herself.

"School?" Mittelt questioned as she turned her gaze to Bryce. The latter only gave her a pat on the head.

"Don't think about it, we'll come to that bridge when we cross it."

"Okay."

As night fell, all four were now wondering who should sleep where. Izumi decided that Asia and Mittelt should sleep together on the bed while they took the couch. However, Bryce decided to take the bathtub much to her protest and said that she needed the full couch and was fine with the bathtub. Reluctantly, Izumi let him and took the couch while the other two took the bed.

After saying goodnight, everyone changed clothes and went to sleep. Bryce was by himself trying to find a way to get comfortable as he gave it a mild glare.

"This will be… difficult." Bryce commented as he heard soft knocking on the door. Turning around he opened and saw Mittelt staring at the floor with a shy expression on her face.

"Something wrong Mittelt?" he asked her.

"No, no, nothing's wrong. It's just…" Mittelt started place her index finger together as she found the ground a lot more interesting. Bryce would've made a confused face if he could as the blonde fallen continued to remain silent.

Suddenly, Mittelt dragged herself towards him before wrapping her arms around his midsection.

"Mittelt?" He asked again only to feel her tightened her hold on him.

"Can..i just stay with you tonight… please?" She asked, no pleaded in a soft tone as Bryce stared at her form before slowly nodding her head.

"Okay." He then turned his head to the bath tub and realized that they might have trouble sleeping but he had an idea.

After closing the door, Bryce then told Mittelt that he would sleep on the floor but she shook her head not wanting him to let go so the other option he had was climbing into the tub himself and laid flat on his back while she laid on his chest, her ear listening to his heartbeat.

Moments of silence was that they heard until Mittelt spoke once more.

"Bryce…"

"hm?"

"Can you… will you…" MIttelt kept stuttering as she tried to find the right words to say. It was both embarrassing and stupid for her to even ask but the way he spoke earlier about her life made her want something.

"Can you be my… oni-chan?"

"…" Bryce stayed silent as he tried to process what the blonde was asking him. As far as he could remember, she was asking for a sibling. Not by blood but by bond.

"…I mean…" Mittelt's expression morphed into a frown as she closed her eyes. "You don't have to…. It was really stupid of me to even ask. You just met me a few hours—"

"Yes."

"..What?"

"I will take the role of being your brother, Mittelt. And I promise that I will protect you no matter what, as long as I'm here I will not let any hurt you."

Mittelt was deeply affected as his words processed through her head before silent tears flowed down her cheeks as she leaned her head back into his chest with a smile on her face.

"Thank you, oni-chan." She muffled but he could hear her as he nodded his head and made a vow to himself.

_'__I will not let anyone else suffer the way I did, she deserves to be happy just like Izumi, just like Asia. As long as I'm breathing, I'll kill anyone that hurts her.' _

* * *

Rias was in the ORC going over some devil pacts, she was by herself as Kiba and Koneko were sent home. Akeno is out on a little mission for her, she had the sadist watch the duo's every move despite Sona's warnings. She knew that the two outsiders were hiding something but she couldn't figure out what. And from what she saw at the church, they were not here to play nice.

She gave off a heated glare and stared at the book lost in thought for half the time until she felt Akeno call her name.

"Rias." The black-haired girl walked in with a sweet smile on her face.

"What is it, Akeno?"

"I come bringing news. Turns out our duo is hiding a little something from us." Akeno said earning Rias's attention.

"Oh and that may be?"

Akeno's expression turned serious. "They are housing two other girls that look younger than them."

"How is that hiding something?" Rias looked at her best friend in confusion and sweat dropped.

"Oh, you didn't let me finish. One of them is actually a fallen angel while the other is human." Akeno explained as Rias eyes widened in shock.

Rias immediately stood up from her desk. "A fallen angel? With them!?"

Akeno nodded her head in confirmation. "Yes, and it turns out she's the other fallen from the deceased group back at the church."

"So, she was the one missing." Rias said to herself before narrowing her eyes at the desk. _'Those two traitors, I knew they were planning on doing something to us. This has got to stop, this trickery has gone on long enough.'_

"Akeno. I need you to do something for me…"

Rias was giving her instructions on how they would deal with the fallen angel and keep the duo from stopping them.

But what she didn't know was that, in the next few days however, she and her whole peerage would understand the wrath of a protective dragon and puppet master.

* * *

**(TimeSkip)**

Over the next week, nothing stirred much trouble for duo.

And that was the problem. Neither of them had gotten into any conflict with the ORC since their last meeting. Akeno would give them a sweet smile but Izumi knew that she was lying and that she wanted revenge on her, while Kiba and Bryce had crossed paths where the latter just passed by the blonde knight.

The said knight was still wary of latter after he almost squeezed the life out of him, not that he blamed him since he made the first move to provoke him. While Kiba kept his distance, he did seem a little guilty on how he acted towards the emotionless teen and tried to apologized only to receive nothing but blank gazes.

As for Rias, she was keeping a constant eye on them, Bryce in particular. Whenever he was alone, she would follow him regardless of wherever. The library, cafeteria, sometimes even when they have the same class. While he knew that she was on to him, he didn't care for her search party. As long as she didn't do anything related to Izumi or Mittelt or Asia, then he didn't really care. However

Bryce was by himself as he was sitting in class. He and Izumi left the younger teens back at the apartment not that he didn't want to. He felt that it would've been better if they had someone watching them but Izumi said that she trusted the girls by themselves. Izumi went to go and talk to the president of the club Sona.

He found himself conflicted about this. One he was worried about were the girls, he wasn't sure if leaving them on their own was a good idea. He and Izumi could take care of themselves but he wasn't sure if Asia and Mittelt would be able to.

From what the brunette told him, Asia is a healer and not a fighter at all. Which meant that she could only support in a real battle. That would have to change soon. And Mittelt she knows her way around spears but from the abuse she suffered over the years he could tell that she didn't fight back out of fear and has some low self-esteem. He would have to help her out of that, also the latter has gotten comfortable being around him and calling him Big brother. Izumi noticed this and smiled, glad that not only MIttelt was adapting to living with them but that her best friend was becoming a little more open. Sure, that it was only around them but he was opening up nonetheless.

Bryce would've continued thinking about the past if he didn't feel someone tap him on the shoulder. All the students in the room gasped at who they were seeing as the latter wondered why they were reacting in a dramatic fashion. Turning his head, he saw Koneko staring at him with a blank gaze as she pulled on his sleeve.

"Yes, Koneko?"

"I need help." She spoke as she then attempted to pull him out the room.

"Koneko-san!"

"It's the mascot, Koneko! She's so cute!"

"SO cute!"

Bryce threw all a glare and everyone immediately closed their mouths and shuddered from his gaze. He was a bit annoyed that all of them were causing a ruckus over something small, then again it's not like he knew the petite's girl status around school.

"Come on." She spoke again as she tugged his sleeve once more, the latter just nodded his head and followed her out.

As they left the classroom, Koneko stopped and let go of his sleeve turning her body towards him.

"What do you need help with, Koneko?" he asked.

The cat girl suddenly looked away from him as her mask began to break and she adopted a nervous expression on her face. The boy was confused as the younger girl started poking her index fingers together.

"Could you… meet me at lunch on the field?"

"Why?"

"I just…" Koneko stuttered as she tried to come up with some words. "I just want to get to know you a little better, that's all. I mean… it wouldn't hurt to spend some time to know someone… would it?"

Bryce just stared at her with a blank gaze as the petite girl shifted her foot on the ground.

"Okay. I will meet you there—"

RING! RING! RING!

"I guess I will follow you then."

"Hai." Koneko nodded as she turned around and walked ahead, motioning for him to follow. Bryce knew she was hiding something but he couldn't figure why, something told him that things will go bad today.

Koenko on the other hand, was feeling guilty for this. For what she was doing to someone other than her peerage she considered a friend. She was stalling him to keep him away from their charge so Akeno and Kiba could go and take care of her.

She didn't know why she was feeling guilty. She was doing what Rias told her to do. What her King ordered her to do. That should be it, she should have no problem doing it.

_'__..So.. why… why does my chest hurt so much?" _The cat asked herself as using her left hand to clutch her chest.

* * *

Back at home, Mittelt and Asia were watching tv when someone knocked on the door, earning their attention. Asia decided to go and open the door when the fallen angel felt a presence enter the air and was about to speak until she felt someone cover her mouth and held a sword to her neck.

Asia opened the door and greeted the person with a friendly smile.

"Hello."

"Hi there, Asia-chan."

"How do you know my name…?" Asia asked in confusion while the older teen just smiled at her.

"Oh, your friends Izumi and Bryce told me about you." Akeno told her but the blonde wasn't buying it.

"That's not true." She said giving the elder teen a frown. "Onee-chan and Bryce-san never mentioned anything about you other than school. And they said they would take us there when things died down." Asia countered.

"So who are you really?"

"I'm sorry Asia-chan." Akeno suddenly said.

Asia was confused before feeling a slight jolt, her eyes widening and suddenly closed as she fell into Akeno's arms. Mittlet let out a muffled scream as she saw Asia placed on the ground before the sadomasochist turned to her.

"Ara ara, a fallen angel here alone with a normal innocent human girl." Akeno said as she placed a hand on Mittelt's cheek, the latter shaking with fear as she felt the older girl's hand.

"Naughty, naughty."

The next thing that happened was that Mittelt felt the same thing that happened to Asia happen to her and suddenly felt her eyes become heavy as she faded into unconsciousness.

"Now that we have what we came for, why don't we go on and head back to Rias?" Akeno said as Kiba nodded his head, carrying the younger blonde on his shoulder before a red teleportation seal appeared below them and they sunk into the floor disappearing from the room.

After 10 minutes, Asia groaned as she struggled to open her eyes from what she felt like a small migraine forming in her head.

"Huh…" Rubbing her eyes to regain her vision, she blinked a couple of times as she looked around the room. "What happened?"

"The last thing I remember was watching tv with Mittelt and then someone knocked on the door. I answered the door and saw this woman that—" Asia paused as she suddenly gasped and her eyes widened in alarm as she remembered the event from earlier.

"Mittelt? Mittelt!" Asia called out as she frantically searched the small apartment for her roommate. She searched the bathroom and then the bedroom but found her nowhere. Panting, Asia's eyes were becoming watery as she realized her friend has been taken away by someone.

Not thinking straight, Asia put on her shoes forgetting that she was in her pajamas and ran out the apartment went for a beeline towards the school to find Izumi and Bryce.

* * *

Izumi stopped walking as she heard someone call her name. Sona who was walking beside her, notice and spoke.

"Is something wrong, Izumi-san?" She asked as the brunette just shook her head.

"No, everything's fine Sona. I just thought I heard someone calling me, just a second ago." Izumi stated as she turned her head to look behind them but saw numerous students that were chattering with each other.

Sona frowned at this and wondered if it was exactly who she was talking about.

"Izumi… is Rias-san or any of her members bothering you lately?" She asked slowly as the brunette put a hand to her chin.

"Well no, not directly anyway. I know they've been keeping an eye on us from behind closed doors but it's starting to get annoying. They even followed us to our house one day as well." Izumi explained as Sona nodded her head while pinching her eyebrows in frustration.

"That is becoming a problem." She knew that were friend was stubborn but she forgot how stubborn she can be, especially if her pride was insulted.

"Speaking of which, Sona." She called out to the Sitri heiress earning her attention. "I need to talk to you about something."

Sona nodded her head and guided Izumi to the Student Council. Once entered she closed the door behind them and put up a sound barrier. It was just the two of them as Sona's peerage were either doing class activities or peerage assignments.

"What do you wish to tell me, Izumi?"

"It's about two things actually." She said as the other girl motioned her to continue. "Remember when the fallen angels that were residing here a few days ago?"

"Yes, I learned from Rias that they found them taken care of." Sona grimaced as she remembered the details the redhead told her. "Aside from the gruesome deaths."

"Hehehe, sorry about that." Izumi apologized as she brought a finger to her cheek with a sheepish expression. "That's just how my companion towards enemies, mostly those that threatened or have taken innocent lives."

"Noted."

"Anyway, we may or may not have taken in a little girl who is a fallen angel." Izumi's smile was still sheepish.

_'__Wait What!?' _Sona thought in surprise as Izumi continued.

"Yeah." Izumi then let out a frown that confused Sona. "She was actually the only fallen there that had no intention of hurting people."

"Only fallen?"

"It's better if I explain it to you." Izumi said as she proceeded to tell Sona about everything that she learned about Mittelt's life. As she spoke the entire time, Sona expression was stoic the entire time but she did get angry when she learned about the abuse Mittelt had to take before meeting them. While Sona kept her eyes trained on her, she saw no hint of deception or hear any fake sadness in the Izumi's voice.

It was all real. She knew that they were hierarchy in the devil society she didn't expect to be the same for the fallen angel faction or for things to sound different. To think that a little girl like Mittelt was suffering abuse from her fellow peers and always tried to scared to fight back, having her confidence slowly weaken until she became doubtful of herself.

It sickened her.

As Izumi finished her story, Sona let out a breath as she placed a hand to her forehead letting the info sink into her head.

"That is quite a story. So where is this girl now?"

"She's at home with someone watching her. While that is a bad idea to leave her behind, I wasn't sure how you would react to having a fallen angel on school grounds." Izumi explained.

"I see." Sona nodded her in understanding. She wouldn't talk first and then attack like her childhood friend would, she would play things out carefully and then make her move when necessary, to avoid fights that could lead to troubling confrontations.

"Which brings me to my second topic." The brunette said as she gazed into Sona's eyes with seriousness. "With your permission, I want to enroll Mittelt and Asia here in Kuoh."

Sona raised an eyebrow at this wondering what the brunette's intentions were.

"I have no intention of causing anymore unnecessary drama between us, all I want is place for them to fit in. Mittelt isn't comfortable being alone and will cling herself to Bryce since he saved her, and I want her to have a life where she isn't tormented by her fellow peers or looked down. Despite her heritage, she's still a girl, a girl questioning her own life and in need of warmth. I understand if you can't do that, I really do but I will not allow anyone to hurt her. Not anymore, if they want too they will have to answer to me." Izumi told her.

Once again, Sona was taken aback by Izumi's resolve. This girl that started a over a week ago along with her friend, was willing to take in a fallen angel and protect her those that would hurt her. And if she didn't allow her to come in school, she was okay with it. Izumi was willing to go this far for one person… she couldn't help but let out a small smile.

"Ok." Sona suddenly spoke earning a confused look from the brunette. "You are curious individual Izumi. Willing to go far for someone you just met and will protect from anybody, even if it means losing trust or earning hostility from others."

"So that means…"

"Hai, I will enroll Mittelt here at Kuoh."

Squealing in joy, Izumi leaned over and wrap Sona in a tight hug.

"THANK YOU SONA-CHAN! THANK YOU SO MUCH!" Izumi shouted in glee as she rubbed her cheek against the bespectacled girl who was sweatdropping at her actions.

_'__I'm glad I had a sound barrier in place, she screams louder than my sister.' _Sona thought with a blush on her cheeks.

Izumi released her and smiled at the heiress. "You are a really nice person Sona-chan, underneath all that cold and stoic expression of yours, you're a big softie like Brycie is."

Sona had to stop herself from giggling at Bryce's pet name given from Izumi.

"I'll remember that." Sona then looked out the window and her expression changed from happy to confusion. "Why is there a girl in pajamas running on school grounds?"

Izumi turned the window as well and looked down and her eyes widened in surprise as she noticed who it was.

"ASIA! What's she doing here!?" Izumi already rushed out the room and headed to the front entrance where Sona followed her. When they got to the main hall, they saw Asia looking around the school as if she was trying to find somebody.

"Asia!" Hearing her name the blonde turned her head spotting Izumi and instantly rushed towards her. Once close, she wrapped her arms around her stomach and immediately cried into her shirt. "Asia-chan!? What's wrong what happened?"

"Izumi-nii…Mittelt… She…." Asia was letting out ragged breaths as she tried to speak with Izumi rubbing her back.

"Asia…"

"She's gone!" Asia nearly screamed as she gazed at the older female with tears running down her cheeks. "…someone took her… they… they took her and…. I couldn't do anything….she's…"

"What?" Izumi paused as she heard her Asia's words. _'Someone took Mittelt?" _

Sona, not wanting to interrupt, silently tapped Asia on her shoulder earning her gaze. "Did you know who took her…?"

"It was only for a moment but… I saw… I saw a woman with black hair and a yellow ribbon…" Asia said. Sona and Izumi's eyes widened in shock as they knew who took MIttelt.

"Akeno took her… but why…"

"Where is she now?" Izumi asked.

Suddenly all three of them froze as they felt a massive wave of killing intent wash over them. Sona was panting while Asia was holding Izumi like a lifeline when she felt the wave hit her, it was like death itself was stalking them.

Izumi, though, she knew where the killing intent was coming from… and after hearing what Asia told her, something told Izumi that Bryce not only found out but he was also going to follow his promise.

"Sona…" Izumi turned her head to the Sitri heiress who was still recollecting herself as the wave was still washing over her. "We need to find Rias."

"W…Why?"

"Because… if my hunch is right… not only will you lose Rias, but the peace between all factions will once again be ruptured and we'll be right back at the start…We'll be back at War." Izumi explained as she picked up Asia bridal style, the latter clutching her neck tightly and burying her face into the brunette's neck, before running off to find Bryce and stop him.

* * *

Mittelt awoke to the sight of Rias looking at her with a neutral expression. She was about to get away when she felt her back hit someone's leg. Looking up she saw Akeno giving her a sweet smile but she could tell that there was killing intent behind her.

"Ara ara, trying to run away are we?" Akeno teased as she bent and moved her hand towards Mittelt's arm.

Mittelt recoiled a bit as she felt Akeno tap her arm confusing her. At first nothing happened until suddenly she felt volts of electricity run through her body shocking her.

"AAAAAHHHHHH!" Mittelt screamed loudly.

"That's enough." Rias ordered as Akeno let out a pout and released her magic. The lightning leaving her body, Mittelt was panting as she stared at the girls in fear. Rias then ordered queen to leave which she did as the sadomasochist giggled and blew a kiss to Mittelt before walking away, leaving the two alone.

"P…Please… I don't.. want any trouble…"

"Don't play dumb with me." Rias said in a cold tone as her gaze was piercing into Mittelt's soul scaring the latter once more. "I don't know how you escaped or why you are alive but you should be dead. That shut-in said he took care of all the fallen except one which meant you."

_'__She's talking about.. Oni-chan..' _Mittelt wondered as she heard them talk about Bryce. "Me?" she questioned.

"Yes you. In all honesty, you shouldn't even be in my territory and yet you are." Rias answered.

"What do you want from me?" Mittelt asked her. Rias just gave her the young blonde a smile as she leaned toward and spoke.

"I want you to tell me about your guardians, Izumi and Bryce." Rias stated.

"Why?" Mittelt asked.

"Because… they are a threat to the people here. And I will not allow them to harm innocent people or cause any trouble." Rias explained as she stared at the blonde.

"B..but.. they haven't done anything." Mittelt protested earning another glare from Rias.

"Even so, you've been with them long enough to know something about them. Even for a short time, you must've learned something."

"What do you mean?" Mittelt asked with a frown on her face.

"I mean why else would they take you in," Rias asked with a perplexed gaze. She was planning on tricking Mittelt into giving information. If she learned something personal, she might gain the upper hand and get rid of the girl at the same time. "You were dying and out of pity they saved you."

Mittelt flinch as Rias spoke earning a hidden smile from the redhead.

"They would have no need for a fallen like other than to spy or use you for other reasons. You are their slave… you are nothing more than a servant." Rias explained as she kneeled beside MIttelt and tugged the latter's arm. "Even your outfit is an example of what you represent. That's all you are, nothing more than a tool."

MIttelt couldn't help but whimper and shake as Rias' words getting into her head. She's been by herself all her life wondering about her role and was a little confident in her own skills but when she started getting abused, fear and doubt settled in her mindset.

If what Rias said was true then why was she here? Is she really useless in the world? Why did they save her?

All these conflicting thoughts swarmed in her head over and over, and just when she was about to submit to Rias, Bryce's words ranged in her head.

"_Every life in this world is precious, whether you are a human or a fallen, devil, angel, or simply something else, no life should ever deal with pain and hatred all their life'_

Mittelt gasped as she remembered his words. How he sounded when he talked, he sounded emotionless but when he spoke to her about saving her, he spoke with warm and comfort and was ready to help her in a heartbeat. And the promise he made to protect her, she knew that she was welcomed into the family.

He was the reason she was living, he was the reason he gave her another opportunity at living a normal life, he was the reason she now had a family to go back to.

"Don't you see… that's all you are… just a tool." Rias continued as she was about to touch her chin until the blonde spoke.

"…go to hell…." Mittelt whispered.

"What did you say?" Rias asked leaning her head closer to the younger girl.

"I said… Go to HELL!" Mittlet shouted as she headbutted Rias in the chin.

"Ugh! You little…" The redhead growled in pain as she rubbed the sore spot.

"I won't say… anything… he gave me a home… he gave me warmth when everyone didn't… he cared for me when I wanted to die…. I won't tell you anything about them... I rather get tortured then tell you anything about him." Mittelt growled as she glared at Rias who was surprised by her newfound resolve.

_'__A little fight left in you, I like that.' _Rias thought as she stood back up. "Well, even if you don't tell me anything, I'll get it out of you one way or another, or we can just skip to the dying part?" She threatened flaring up her destruction magic in her right hand.

Mittelt took small breath before pointing her head up into the air and spoke only one word as loud as she could. She knew he would be able to hear here, he had to. She just hoped she did.

"ONI-CHAAAANNN!"

The scream caught Rias off guard as where Akeno and Kiba who looked at the closet door in confusion before suddenly turning their attention to the front doors of the gym when they were suddenly blown off.

Dust clouds covering their vision, Kiba and Akeno looked to the doors and were stunned when they saw Bryce standing in the doorway, with a blank gaze but they could see his aura. It was flaring angrily and he was ready to kill them.

Rias dragged Mittelt roughly by her arm out of the closet as they saw Bryce. Rias eyes narrowed while Mittelt looked at her older brother with tears in her eyes.

"Oni-chan."

Suddenly, Bryce moved from his current spot and appeared in front of Rias surprising all of them. She had no time to react as she felt a kick connect to her stomach forcing her to let go of Mittelt and crash into the wall.

The said boy turned his attention to MIttelt and kneeled in front of her. He took note of the damage done to her, and quietly growled.

"Are you hurt?" he asked as he checked her arms for any bruises. The blonde was still in shock at Bryce standing in front of her.

"N-no, just a little shock but I'm fine." She told him as she let him continue to inspect her.

"I'm glad that you are okay." He said as he gently ruffled her hair, the latter loving it as she buried her face into his chest.

"I'm glad, that you came… you really came." Mittelt whispered as she started shaking, she felt his strong arms wrap around her frame comfortly.

"I made a promise didn't I, I always keep my promises." He stated.

They heard groaning and saw Rias slowly getting back up from the attack and Akeno and Kiba ready themselves for a battle. Narrowing his eyes, Bryce quickly grabbed Mittelt and suddenly rushed to the other side he was on where Koneko was standing by broken doors.

"Stay here, I'll take care of them." He started walking back to the gym before hearing Koneko suddenly speak.

"Wait…" He turned his head back to the little neko who was still looking at him with guilt in her eyes. "Please don't kill them."

"I'll try not to."

Now with his attention focused on the three in front of him, he wouldn't have to worry about Mittelt around Koneko since the latter was feeling guilty about earlier.

"A knight, a queen and a king." He started earning their attention. "This will either be fun or very boring, depending on how long you'll last."

"I knew I couldn't trust you." Rias started as she glared at the blank teenager. "You lied to us about the fallen escaping when you simply took her into custody and shielding her from us. Do you know where that puts you, it makes me think that you are in alignment with fallen angels."

"That's a bit hypocritical of you. You think just because I'm housing a fallen angel suddenly makes me an enemy? I could say the same about you and your group of just staying here and hiding your race from humans and call you out but that would be petty of me now wouldn't it?"

"Are you saying that I'm being petty right now?" Rias growled her teeth at his accusation.

"That aside, I'm really itching to fight you. Well, really I just wanna see where your levels of power are at otherwise it's pointless."

"Pointless?" Kiba narrowed his eyes at his words as he summoned his sword. "Are you saying we're not worth your time? For someone who acts like a robot you sure are cocky."

"Ara ara, cocky or not, I think he needs to be taught a lesson." Akeno giggled as sparks of lightning dance through her fingers.

"A lesson? From the hybrid and survivor of a sick project?" Bryce questioned as he raised an eyebrow. "This should be fun." He said as he raised his hand in front of him.

At the same time, Sona and Izumi with Asia in her arms arrived at the scene and saw what was about to happen.

"Oh no, we're too late." Izumi whispered as she watched her friend and then turned her gaze to Mittelt. "Mittelt-chan!"

"Mittelt." Asia shouted jumping out of the brunette's arms and ran straight over to her other half wrapping her arms around her. "Are you okay!? I was so worried when you were taken."

"Mmhm. I'm fine, just a little shocked that's all." Mittelt said as Asia inspected her for any bruises and cuts.

Sona gazed at the shorter blonde as she remembered what Izumi told her. _'So this is the blonde, Izumi was talking about enrolling, she doesn't look that threatening and the fact that this girl and Izumi are comfortable around her confirms that she's not dangerous.' _Sona thought to herself before turning her attention to Rias and the others.

"We need to stop this." Sona started as she was about to head over but was stopped by Izumi who put a hand out in front of her.

"No. We can't get involved, plus as much as I want to hurt Gremory for spying on us and kidnapping Mittelt, I'll let Bryce do that… after all, brother suppose to protect their younger siblings right." Izumi stated earning a look of confusion from Sona.

_'__What does that mean?' _

"So ready to face your punishment?" Rias mocked as Bryce just shrugged his shoulders.

"Whenever you're ready." He said letting them have the first move.

**{King} Rias Gremory, {Queen} Akeno Himejima & {Knight} Kiba Yuuto Vs. Bryce Hayate**

Kiba took the opportunity as he suddenly vanished from sight. Bryce stood still as he stared at the two other opponents before feeling movement from behind him. Ducking his torso, Bryce dodged the first strike as Kiba appeared behind him missing his attack.

Kiba released a barrage of slashes towards Bryce but the latter just dodging or ducking the sword. "What's wrong, can't keep up?" Kiba taunted as Bryce continued dodging. The knight then decided to end his attack with and upwards slash jumping into the air before descending down with a overhead slash.

Dodging both attacks, Bryce grabbed Kiba by the arm when he landed pulling him towards before letting go and use the same arm to hit Kiba with a blow to the stomach causing the latter to gasp in pain. Bryce then followed up with another attack to the face as he gave him an uppercut sending him crashing to the floor.

"Can you shut up, you're annoying?" Bryce questioned as he glared at the knight.

"Then how bout we amp up the energy?" Akeno teased as lightning gathered in her fingers before raising them in the air and summoned lightning. Yellow lightning emerged from the sky and Bryce quickly jumped to the side, the electricity barely missing him.

He then felt dark energy coming from behind as he saw Rias charging up her PoD magic and aimed it towards him. Blasting her magic, Bryce kept jumping around to dodge the blasts while avoiding the lightning from above.

_'__This lightning is seems familiar.' _He thought to himself.

On the side, Izumi noticed what Bryce was doing as he kept dodging the attacks.

"What's he doing?" Koneko asked as she finally stood beside them despite not being part of the fight. "If he doesn't defend himself, he's done for."

"Bryce." Asia said as she watched her other guardian continue dodging the attacks.

"He's analyzing." Sona said as she pushed her glasses up her nose. "He's not just dodging their attacks, he's simply observing them and waiting for an opening to appear."

"Not just that." Izumi interrupted. "He's doing more than just analyzing."

Kiba then planted his sword into the ground chanting his sacred gear.

'Sword Birth!" He summoned as a multitude of swords surrounded the gym. He then grabbed another sword and stormed towards Bryce once again. Before he reached him, he vanished at the last second and confusing the latter before feeling a kick to the chest sending him flying.

Bryce grunted as he recovered from the attack, he was about to move when Akeno grabbed from behind, wrapping her arms around him.

"Hi there, cutie!" She greeted as she smiled at him. Licking her lips, she flew upwards to the ceiling before stopping and used her momentum to throw Bryce towards the ground. She planted her hand against his chest and summoned lighting, using it to send him downwards.

The said boy gasped in pain from the electricity before landing on the ground with a hard thud and leaving a small crater. Slowly getting up he felt someone tap his shoulder, he looked upwards and saw Rias holding her hand out with a PoD orb.

"Got ya." Rias fired her magic and the boy was hit dead on as the light blinded them, causing MIttelt, Asia, and Sona to worry while Izumi's expression remained calm.

As the light died down, it revealed Bryce laying in the crater with his uniform in tatters and blood dripping from his hair.

"Oni-chan!" Mittelt shouted in worry as she was about rush to him but was stopped by Izumi.

"It's okay."

Rias walked over to him and stared at it with a small smirk on her face.

"I'll be honest, I kind of expected something more but you were all bark and no bite." Rias commented as she shrugged her arms. "Simply disappointing."

"The only thing disappointing around here is your level of power." Rias, Akeno and Kiba eyes widened in shock as they turned their heads and saw Bryce standing in the same spot with no injuries on his body, not even the blood.

"W..What?"

"How is that possible?" Akeno said in a startled tone. "I was sure I zapped him on contact. He shouldn't have been able to get up."

"Is this some illusion?" Kiba questioned as everyone on the sidelines were also confused at what happened.

CRACK!

Everyone heard a small cracking noise and they looked at the crater where Bryce should've been. Instead in his place was a mannequin with cracks and holes all over it's body, burn marks from the blast and scorch mark on its chest from the lightning.

"A mannequin?" Sona questioned as she saw the fake figure in the crater.

"A puppet." Bryce answered as he calmly walked towards the crater and gazed at his substitution. "He's been the one you released your team attack on."

Everyone was shocked at his words. They were fighting an inanimate object the entire time.

"We were fighting a puppet the entire time?" Kiba questioned.

"Not the whole time, the attacks you received were from me." Bryce said as the puppet in front of them suddenly broke down into multiple pieces of wood before breaking down into ash and disappeared. "I able to switch out with the mannequin anytime I wish in order to fight you." he explained.

Rias gritted her teeth and growled at the situation. She thought she was taking out a spy for the fallen and showing him not to underestimate her but no that wasn't it. He was toying with them as he watched them fight a puppet while they wasting their energy.

"You coward." Rias said as she clenched her fist. "Are you looking down on my peerage?"

"Pride will be your downfall." He answered only to receive an outburst from her.

"Answer me!"

"Doesn't matter, you all took your chance and failed." He said as he closed him eyes and took a small breath before opening them again and stared at them with a cold gaze. "Now it's my turn."

He suddenly vanished from sight before appearing in front of them. Just when they were about to attack, they all were blasted off into different directions. Skidding to a halt, Rias stood up only to clutch her stomach as Kiba rubbed his jaw and Akeno with her arm.

"What was that!?" Asia shouted as her and Mittelt watched the fight in awe. "They all just went flying."

_'__I didn't even see them get hit.' _Sona thought as she tried to figure what had just happen.

"The knight." Bryce shouted as he appeared in front of Kiba and then used his right hand, delivering a powerful blow to his solar plexus causing the knight to cough up blood, following up on the attack he turned and used his left hand to grab the blonde's head and slammed his head down into the ground, knocking him out.

"Kiba!" Rias shouted and Akeno watched in shock as they saw their knight just easily get pummeled to the ground like he was nothing.

"Take this!" Akeno shouted as she gathered up more lightning and aimed it towards him. The boy moved vanished from his spot and reappeared next to her, placing a hand on her back.

"Zap." He said and suddenly a bolt of lightning enveloped Akeno as she started screaming.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

"Akeno!" Rias shouted in worry for her friend.

As the beam died down, it showed Akeno with electricity discharging from random parts of her body and her clothes were in tatters, showing off her navel and revealing her legs. She lost consciousness as she fell backwards til Bryce caught her and gently laid her on the ground.

"That's two down." He whispered and slowly walked over to Rias. "All that's left, is the king. Long live the king."

Rias gritted before flaring up her magic. She put her hands together and started charging up a massive PoD orb. She was about to fire until…

"Ugh." Her body stopped moving and her magic suddenly disappeared. "W-what's going on? Why… why… can't I.. move?"

Rias struggled to move her head when she noticed something tiny with what look likes a wire around her wrists. "Wires…?"

"Threads." Bryce answered as he held up his hand showing off his fingers that were small threads trailing from to Rias' body. "Thanks to these, I can control the movement of your body."

Rias tried to get out of his hold but she could not break free, as she felt her self being pulled towards him. They were now a foot away from each as Bryce stared into Rias' eyes with a cold glare.

"Do you yield?" He asked her slowly. Rias refused to answer as she tried to break free from his grasp once more. If there was one thing, she would never do it was surrender to her enemies, she will not surrender to this boy in front of her.

"Your choice." Bryce commented as he pulled back his fist and hit Rias in the solar plexus causing to gasp in pain before fading into unconsciousness.

(Loser){King} Rias Gremory, (Loser){Queen} Akeno Himejima & (Loser){Knight} Kiba Yuuto Vs. (Winner) Bryce Hayate

Sona, Asia, Mittelt, and Koneko were left in a shocked state as they saw Rias, Akeno and Kiba defeated so fast as if they were nothing by a human no less.

As Bryce walked to them, he ignored their stares and stopped in front of Mittelt as he kneeled before speaking.

"Sorry, I'm late." He spoke with a sad tone, or at least tried to they couldn't tell because of his face but Izumi and Mittelt could tell that he was really sorry.

Mittelt shook her head and reached up wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I'm just glad you came, oni-chan." Mittelt spoke in a soft tone as she felt his arms wrap around her making her extremely happy.

Izumi smiled at them before turning over to Sona.

"Sona-chan, can we have a few days off from school? I think we need a small break from school."

The Sitri heiress softly sighed and nodded her head. "I shall inform your teachers about your 'absence', right after I clean up this mess." She told Izumi and then turned to Bryce. "I am sorry for what has happened today."

"It's fine." Bryce said as he carried Mittelt onto his back, wrapping her arms around her legs as she wrapped her own around his neck and leaned her head onto his shoulder. "But remember this, if Rias or her peerage do anything to my family again, I'll kill her."

"I.. hope we do not come to that." Sona said with a frown as the boy nodded his head and walked past her and Koneko with Izumi and Asia trailing behind.

Sona sighed to herself once the four people left the gym and turned back to the damage in the gym. Seeing Rias on the ground, Akeno a few feet away with her body still sizzling and Kiba with his head dented into the ground.

Sona then realized that she hadn't told Tsubaki or the rest of her peerage about the situation which reminds her that she needed to tell them. She wished Izumi was still here so it would be less of a pain in the neck to explain.

_'__This is gonna be a long day.' _She thought letting out a heavy sigh.


	6. Peaceful Reunion

After getting their apartment, Bryce had let Mittelt down and was about to heal her wounds but was stopped by Izumi when she told him that Asia could help. He was confused when the mentioned blonde nodded her head and told Mittelt to sit down on the stool and stay still.

Suddenly, rings appeared around her fingers and she emitted a small green orb in front of Mittelt the latter feeling a wave of calmness and comfort washing over her. She could feel the damage from her shock wounds disappearing as if they were never there.

A minute later, Mittelt was healed up but she suddenly felt drowsy from the fatigue as she almost fell forward onto Asia causing the latter to blush at the fallen on her body.

Izumi giggled as she led the two to their room and set them down for rest leaving Bryce alone by himself. Speaking of which, Izumi noticed that he was quiet the entire time they were walking home, she saw the look in his eyes as they were coming home.

He looked empty and sad. The said boy was thinking back to the experiments of how they made him become who he is now and the trial that they put him through to make him be a killing machine.

That trial… the one that made him go through hell and come back as someone else, no, something else. He was brought out of his thoughts when Izumi came and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hm?"

"You okay?" Izumi asked in a concerned tone.

"I'm fine, Izumi." He replied coldly earning a flinch from the brunette before she glared at him and pulled him by the ruff of his collar.

"Don't you use that tone with me." She growled at him, letting her other side come in. "I want to know what's on your mind but knowing you, you won't spill. So how bout I go to Mittelt-chan and give her a small wake-up call?"

Izumi was then slammed into the ground as Bryce gripped her throat with his right hand and had a knife in holding it in reverse as he glared at her. His pupils switching from black to white like a light switch.

"You lay a hand on her and I'll kill you, you understand?" He said as Izumi let out a soft but maniacal giggle.

"hehehe, that's it Brycie…get aggressive, let all the pent up anger out, show me the truth behind that mask." She goated him as she kneed him in the gut catching him off the guard. Now the tides were turned as Izumi straddled him with her knees on his arms and her hands planted on her chest.

She was starting to pant from this small charade. She was actually turning on from the rough treatment they were giving each other. She was about to go further and lift his shirt but stopped herself as she remembered what she was doing and why.

Letting it go, she gazed at him with a worried look on her face.

"Bryce, please tell me. I know you well enough that you would hide it from me, and I know that knife you had was _not _for me but for you, wasn't it?" She pointed out as the boy below her didn't move but she did see a shimmer in his eyes.

"Did I go too far?"

"Huh?" Izumi asked as if she didn't hear him the first time.

"Did I really need to threaten them like that?"

Izumi didn't say anything as she stood up and dragged him towards the couch before setting his head down onto her lap, running her fingers through his hair.

"Izumi?"

"You did nothing wrong." She started stopping him. "Rias was in the wrong for spying on us and kidnapping Mittelt in the process. She crossed a line, though she's lucky." She turned back to him. "had I not gotten there, you would've killed them without mercy."

Bryce just nodded his head as he didn't want to interrupt her.

"Still, how are you doing?

"Physically, I'm fine. I didn't really get any bruises or wouds from the fight."

"Mentally?" She asked him and he didn't answer her, making her frown even more.

"I'm… I've been having small attacks…" he told her. Izumi flinched a little when she realized what she was talking about.

"Attacks… bryce… are you okay?" she asked in a worried tone.

"…." He didn't respond for awhile as he was trying to come up with the right answer for her. He let out a small sigh into her legs causing Izumi to slightly shutter when his breath reached her panties.

"I don't know." He finally answered. "These attacks are just small but each voice is more haunting than the last. Like I broken record. Fitting for someone like me, isn't it?"

"No…." she answered him as she forced him to sit up and stared into his eyes. "You were forced to kill remember… you had no control over your actions, it isn't your fault."

"But…"

"Didn't you tell me not to think about the psyche incident just a few days ago?" she asked slowly as he nodded his head. "Well, let me tell you what you told me. Stop focusing on it, the more you do the more you will lose yourself to him… I don't want to happen again…" she trailed off.

Bryce stared at her as he remembered what she was talking about. His darker side, the one that is cruel and enjoys killing, when he came out during the raid it was horrible. IT reminded him of when he couldn't save Izumi and how bad it affected them.

"Sorry." That was all he could say as he heard Izumi let out a sigh. The said brunette looked over and saw that it was 3:30 .

"Why don't we just stay in for the rest of the day? We can go pack our stuff tomorrow morning and then leave." she suggested as he nodded his head and was about to get up and leave but the brunette had other plans. She pulled him down with her onto the couch, with his head cradled in the valley of her large breasts. "That means you are not leaving my sight."

* * *

Rias groaned as she slowly opened her eyes and was met the blank ceiling.

"Welcome to the world of the living, Rias." Looking to her right she saw Sona looking at her with a blank gaze, right beside was Koneko who still had a guilty expression on her face.

"Sona…" The redhead called out as she slowly got up. She attempted to move but flinched at grabbed her stomach, still feeling the pain from Bryce' hits. "Where's Akeno and Kiba?"

"They are fine." Sona replied as she motioned her head to behind Rias as the latter turned left and saw her queen and knight. Both groaning as they woke up as well.

"Ow….that was too much."

"Rias.."

"I'm glad you both are okay." Rias said with a friendly smile before turning to her rook who instantly hid behind Sona in fear of a scolding. "Koneko… why didn't you help us when we were being attacked by Bryce? He could've killed us you know. What was troubling you? What did he do to you to force you not to fight with us?"

Koneko eyes widened as she looked at Rias in shock. Kill them? He was trying to kill them? He was only doing what he needed to do to save Mittelt, and he didn't force anything on her. She felt guilty for her own part in all of this. Not because of him.

The white haired neko mentally growled at her master and was ready to lash out at her but Sona stepped in and stopped her.

"That fault lies on you." Sona interrupted earning a confused look from the redhead.

"What?"

"Rias, forgive for being blunt but weren't you the reason he fought you guys?" Sona asked.

"Yes, but I had my reasons." Rias retorted. "He lied to us about killing all the fallen and he left one alive, and he was housing her from us. It's clear they are allied with them and tried to kill us to save the blonde. He'll regret leaving us alive."

Sona glared at her childhood friend with a cold gaze.

"Rias, you and both know that that is half true. You are right about him lying but you were in the wrong. You spied on them and then kidnapped and tortured someone they care about, fallen or not. And he wasn't going to kill you either. He came with the intent of subduing you, even though it was brutal."

"Then why didn't he kill us?" Kiba asked.

"Because Koneko asked him not too." Sona said as the said rook glazed back to the floor. "I don't know why but he listened to her."

"Koneko?" Akeno called out to her this time as she gazed at the rook with a soft expression.

"IS that true…?"

…Yes it is." Koneko interrupted earning their attention. "….I felt guilty. I know you told me to stall him, but it felt wrong. I know we're suppose to deal strays and fallen angels who come to harm humans but, it felt so wrong." She explained as she clenched her fists. "I don't know why but whenever I looked at him, I had this tight feeling in my chest that it was wrong for me to lie to him. It wouldn't go away, so… I almost told him of what we were doing."

"He knew."

"What?"

"He knew I was stalling him but… he still talked to me anyway." Koneko said as a thought came into her head. _'I have to apologize.' _As soon as she did that, she left the room immediately not wanting to be in there any longer.

"My, Koneko looks troubled." Akeno called out in worry.

"It's because of you made her do, Rias." Sona answered

"What did I do?"

"Don't play dumb. Your order of her lying to Bryce is what has her down right now. She feels like she's responsible for what happened to Mittelt and blames herself for it." as she turned to the redhead once more. "

"But she was just following Buchou's orders." Kiba commented.

"And that's the problem. She's having an internal conflict right now and is wondering if she should've done things differently." Sona countered.

"Oh." The knight said as he once realized what Sona was explaining to them.

"I didn't mean to make her feel that bad, but orders are orders." Rias said, still missing the point. "She shouldn't feel guilty over something like this, those two were here to threaten and possibly like the fallen cause havoc to our territory and I was not going to let that happen.

"Rias…" Sona growled in a cold tone that made all of them stiff. "Let me make this clear, I'm really fed up with you taking everything for granted, and making it sound like your not to blame. So I will say this once more, you are not allowed to go anywhere near them."

"And why should I listen to you?" Rias fired back with her own aura rising. "You are just like me Sona, you were scouting them just as much as I was and even you knew something was off."

"Yes, but I was scouting him for a different reason, I wasn't interested in his power." She answered. That caught everyone off guard.

"You weren't?" Akeno asked.

"No, I was monitoring him for my sister." Sona answered.

"Serafall-san?" Kiba called. "What did she want with him?"

"I don't know…. She didn't tell me other then that she really needed to know about him as soon as possible. She's dealing with things on her end so she left me in charge of finding him." Sona lied. She hadn't called her sister yet, she needed to confirm something before actually calling Sera. She also wanted to keep it a surprise for her sister.

"Well, that's something."

"Yes it is." Sona sighed. "Anyway, Rias do not test me." She warned the redhead. "I'm close to just calling your brother to come deal with this, and I already know you're having problems on your plate with _him."_

Rias growled as she stared at Sona as the latter walked out of the room and left. Kiba and Akeno looking at her in concern.

"Buchou, maybe we should sit this one out." Kiba suggested.

"I agree." Akeno added and the redhead turned her gaze to her queen. "Rias, we already crossed a line with them and Sona is on her last nerve. I don't want you to lose her trust just because of Bryce and Izumi, there's no point holding a grudge with them."

"You're both right." She said as she sat up and moved her legs over the bed. "I'm going to head out for a bit, get some rest okay?" she suddenly told them and left the infirmary before they could say anything.

Rias took a deep breath as she calmed herself down. They were right, she shouldn't make anymore foolish mistakes that could cause her to lose her friendship with Sona but deep down for some reason, she couldn't let it go. Let go of Bryce.

The power he displayed for someone who is human was fierce. He wasn't even going all out and he took out her and her peerage minus Koneko and her bishop like they were nothing. On three sides she felt different. The first side made her feel weak, she was devil king and yet she lost to somebody who was only here for a week and had took her down without even trying, that fact hurt her pride and she needed to fight him again to regain it.

On the second side, it made her curious about him. Just like Koneko, she saw something else behind his eyes. Torment and sadness. He was hiding it so well and he was acting like he was some sort of robot or soldier waiting for its next command. Why did he have such pain behind his eyes, what story does withhold that turned him into the person he is now.

The last side was full of hope. Sona was right she was in a bind and was stuck in a forced political marriage, to a man that did not love her for her and only love her body. She hated that man with a passion, but she could not get out of the marriage. Not without tarnishing her family's legacy and endangering her peerage. She needed something, anything to help her escape her marriage. And her answer came today because of them.

"I should ask them for help, but…" she trailed off as she remembered the events from earlier. Even though she had the right reasons to justify her actions, she should not have kidnapped and tortured the young blonde. Thinking back to it, the fallen didn't even seem like she was malicious or evil. After getting a clear picture of the girl, she was able to see what she saw, it was fear.

Rias frowned as she now realized what she did. She tortured a scared little girl who was afraid of her not because of the faction but because of insecurity. Rias felt ashamed as she now saw that her actions and arrogance had blinded her from the truth. All she did was cause a reckless misunderstanding between them and now she is on thin ice with both them and Sona.

_'Maybe their right.' _She admitted as she leaned against the wall and clutched her left arm, rubbing it as some type of coping mechanism. _'because of my actions and behavior, I've been too prideful and arrogant to see what I was doing wrong. I tortured a scared girl, spied on two students and I'm so close to losing my trust with Sona.' _

_'With the pressure of my marriage, I've been on edge and have been trying to think of ways to get out of it, these things cause me to do reckless things and not think them through. I've been acting like a child and not like the young adult I am.' _

Rias now realized everything that she did wrong all through her life. She needed to better herself and fix things before it was too late. Apologizing would do absolutely nothing. She knew she was risking alot but, she needed to do it.

"Actions speak louder than words." She said to herself while closing her eyes. And it was true. She could apologize to them but it would be nothing, but pretty words filled with nothing but lies and deceit. So, she would need to prove to them that she regretted her actions.

She would have to wait for a few days though, since they were off but nonetheless, she would show how remorseful she was of her actions.

Her eyes now filled with determination, Rias walked away from the infirmary and up to the clubroom where she was going to make a few changes, she would start by changing herself.

* * *

Ophis and Serafall were in the Dimensional Gap, an endless void of space and time where the former resides along with her enemy the Great Red Dragon. The latter was too busy looking around the place in confusion.

"Um, where are we?" Serafall asked as she slowly narrowed her eyes in wary, still not knowing who this woman is.

"We are in the dimensional gap," Ophis said bluntly as Serafall eyes widened in horror.

"The Dimensional Gap!?" she yelled as she remembered reading up about this place. This was where the Infinite Dragon Ophis, and the True Dragon Great Red resided in. This was also where anybody could die in an instant, if they had no magic protecting them from nothingness then they would cease to exist in a matter of seconds.

Ophis found some enjoyment in watching Serafall's face changed from horror to panic and blubbering mouth.

"Fear not," she said pausing the devil's panic state. "I chanted a spell on you so you would be able to sustain the Dimensional Gap."

"Wait what?" Sera questioned. "But how are you able to do that?"

"Because I am Ophis, The Infinite Dragon." She answered the water devil.

Serafall's body became paralyzed with shock and surprise, she was talking to one of the two legendary gods.

"O-O… Ophis?"

"Yes… but do not be afraid as I bear no ill will towards you." The dragon woman explained as she walked up to Serafall. "As one of the people my son cares about, I shall not harm you in any way."

"W-wait, wait a minute, you mean you are his adoptive mother?"

"Mother of two." Ophis said as she let out a soft smile, surprising the devil. "I grew quite fond of them over the years. At first, I felt nothing than power in them that could help me get rid of Great Red, who took away my silence." She said as the said dragon flew above them. "I wanted my home back and I took two of them in to train them and help me with my goal, at the time I didn't care for them." She admitted.

Serafall got a little angry at the fact that Ophis was using Bryce and Izumi just to get rid of Great Red. She was debating on berating the woman in front of her for treating them like that but Ophis stopped her as she continued speaking.

"But, over time… they both taught me these emotions that you humans and devils feel. Izumi was very stubborn on making sure I knew how to feel emotions, I didn't know at the time but Bryce was a shut in so she took on the responsibility. She made me watch how humans interact with one another, through family, through common society and other things. Soon, I started developing these emotions within me and I thought I was sick or something. But for some unknown reason, watching them, nurturing them as if they were my own hatchlings, it made me feel… happy in a alpha female way. Or what they call a mother." Ophis explained.

Sera eyes widened in awe as she heard the dragon admit that she had emotions. She was supposed to be a cold and ruthless dragon that had no problem hurting others or forcing them to get what she wants but she didn't see that. She was seeing a woman who was filled with joy at having children as her own not by blood but by bond.

This was truly a mark in history.

"Wow."

"Shocked?" Ophis asked.

_'Shock is nothing compared to what I'm feeling right now!' _Serafall thought before shaking out of her stupor and went back to talking. "Anyway, sorry for getting to the point but why did you bring me here?"

"I brought you here because what I am going to tell you next is something that will stay between us." Ophis said as her eyes changed from a human to a dragons, scaring Sera as she yelped. "I'm going to show you what my children have been through before I met them, let me warn you that some of the events that they been through are not… joyful ones."

Serafall was confused, what happened to them before they met Ophis? It couldn't have been too bad right…

"I promise I will not speak of this conversation." She said in a firm tone as Ophis nodded her head. Lighting her hand with a purple glow, she held two fingers towards Serafall's head and pressed them against the base of her skull.

Once, they were Serafall eyes closed as she felt the touch before suddenly her mind was filled with these memories of Bryce and Izumi's life. It was full of nothing but horrible things. She saw a bunch of doctors and scientists, a weird room with a ring in the middle and a bunch of weapons on the side, children drenched in blood all over the place and blood written on the walls. Then saw Bryce howling in pain as he clutched his ehad and then Izumi being injected with something before passing out. Then she was them being shocked in their cages, to Bryce being cut with numerous sharp objects and Izumi calling out to him trying to reach him before another vision played as she saw Izumi being tortured as Bryce was trying to reach her clawing his way over then. And then suddenly, there was a woman who was smiling in the background as she walked over to them with blades in her hand before raising them and thrusted them towards them—

Serafall let out a horrid scream as she clutched her head in pain as threw herself away from Ophis who was now adopting a frown on her face. The latter watched the devil girl on her knees with her hands to her mouth as endless tears flowed down her cheeks. She was sobbing as she just witnessed what was only part of what may have been a terrible reality.

"…Why…why where they….*hic*….?" Serafall hiccupped overwhelmed by the nightmare she was just witnessed. The boy she's been looking for all these years was tortured and experimented on in the worst way possible, he was there all this time.

"They're just kids…."

"I still do not understand why humans do what they did to my hatchlings, I see they it could be for curiosity or a sense of feeling joy."

"…Where is he…?" Serafall said as she looked up to Ophis with a pleading expression. "Please…. Let me see him…" Serafall didn't care how much of a crying mess she was right now, the only thing that mattered to her was finding Bryce. She needed to see him, for reassurance, for comfort. She wanted to hold him and never let go, she needed him to be in her arms so she knew that he was safe.

"Very well, right this way." Ophis noted as she opened up a portal as she walked through it with Serafall running after her.

* * *

Bryce, Izumi, Mittelt and Asia were in a hotel as each of them were on the bed. The four had packed everything from two days before and had move to a different location soon after. They didn't move far from the school, only a few more miles outside by train. They were in a hotel for the next few days until they found another place for them to live in.

All the girls were awake while Bryce was sleeping since he decided to take a nap.

"So what do you girls want for breakfast?" She asked them as Asia tilted her head in deep thought.

"Hmm," she hummed thinking for a bit before speaking. "Oh, could you make those round things that you eat syrup with?" Asia asked as Izumi raised an eyebrow.

"You mean pancakes?" She teased as the younger girl flushed with embarrassment.

"Y-yes, Izumi-nii." Asia squeaked as she pressed the tips of her index fingers togethers, making Izumi chuckle.

"Of course Asia, I'll make you some pancakes." She said while giving the blonde a side hug. She then turned to Mittelt. "Mittelt, would you like some pancakes as well?"

The said blonde turned to her with a small pout on her face. "I will, as soon as I get oni-chan up." Mittelt kept pressing his cheeks with her fingers trying to get the teenage boy awake but it didn't work, he was a heavy sleeper. "I've been trying to get him up for the past hour and he hasn't move an inch. Stupid oni-chan." She grumbled as Izumi laughed.

"Don't bother, Mittelt-chan. You can try waking him up with an air horn and that still wouldn't work." Izumi commented as she stood up. "Believe me, I tried."

"SO how do I wake him up?"

"Like this." Izumi said as she dropped to her knees right beside Bryce. She leaned down and slowly but teasingly licked his earlobe earning a look of shock from Asia and Mittelt who was blushing at the scene. Once she finished the said boy opened his eyes and groaned in annoyance as he turned his head and saw Izumi with a sweet smile on her face.

"Really, you just had to use that to wake me up?" Bryce questioned as he pointed to Mittelt and Asia. "You do realize that they are in the room right,?"

"I do, that's why I did it." Izumi said as if it wasn;t a big deal. She turned to the blonde and could immediately tell the difference between them. Asia was blushing in embarrassment as she kept stuttering and kept looking away while MIttelt was blushing with a bit of jealousy.

_'He's my oni-chan!' _Mittelt thought as she unconsciously grabbed Bryce's arm and held it to her chest.

"Someone's jealous~" Izumi teased as the blonde became more flustered.

"S-sh-sh-shut up!" She said as Izumi started laughing.

"Enough teasing them." Bryce said in a firm tone.

"alright, alright." Izumi wiped a tear away from her eye. "I had my fill of teasing for now, so I'm off to make breakfast." She announced.

After a few minutes, all four occupants were eating breakfast on the beds and were watching random shows on the tv, Mittelt sitting close to Bryce's and glaring at Izumi who sat on the other side of him. Asia was chuckling nervously as she watched her fellow blonde sister glaring at Izumi like she was a rival. All of them would;ve continued this until a portal suddenly opened in the middle of the room by the windows.

Izumi and Bryce turned to the portal casually while Asia yelped and hid behind Izumi as did Mittelt who held out her hand ready to summon a light spear while clutching Bryce's shirt. Soon they saw Ophis come out of the portal with a small smile on her face.

"Mother?" Both teen called out in unison.

"My hatchlings. It's nice to see you again." She commented as she gazed from them to the blondes. "Oh, I see that you have some company with you, which is good because I brought some company as well." She informed them earning looks of confusion.

Ophis gently step-aside as another figure came out of the portal, Serafall came out wearing a green blouse with a black ribbon around her neck, with a plaid skirt and black leggings and brown loafers, and her hair in pigtails. The girls looked at her in confusion while Izumi and Bryce realized who she was.

Izumi realized that this was sona's sister, one of the four maou of the underworld. Serafall Leviathan.

Bryce on the other hand, was stiff as he recognized the woman in front of him. It was faint but he could remember seeing this girl with a similar face in his head and then a ribbon that he gave her as a sign of… friendship?

Serafall brought her hands to her mouth as she gazed at Bryce. She was trying so hard not to scream right now as the person she was looking for stood right in front of her. She felt her throat become wobbly as if she was close to crying in happy tears, slowly she took shaky steps toward him and once she close enough, she raised a shaky hand towards him.

Bryce didn't know what to do, he wasn't paralyzed in fear, but he didn't know what to do or what to say. He hadn't seen this woman in so long, his memory was a bit hazy and faint since all he remembers the experiments but he can still remember her and Xenovia just a little but what did he call her?

"B-Bry….Bryce?" Serafall called out as she pressed her hand against his cheek, hiccupping at the contact of warmth.

"Sera…" he said slowly as he looked over her and then said a nickname that came out of his head when he saw a child version of him smiling at teenage version of her in a vision before it came back to his senses. he was brought out of his thought when he got suddenly glomped on as Serafall wrapped hers arms around his neck and started crying tears of joy.

"Sweet Devil! You're okay!" She yelled as she cried into his neck confusing the latter. He was frozen as if he should comfort her, even though a part of him is head told him he didn't deserve it that he should stop being a nuisance. He was going to listen to it but the more he heard Sera's cries the less he heard that voice because he found her tears more important. Finding strength, he brought his own arms up and wrapped them around her frame, pulling her in close.

The Leviathan Maou went stiff at his touch before she felt tears of joy burst from her eyes even more as she tightened her hold on him.

"Nice to see you again… nii-chan." He said unconsciously as the nickname came out of nowhere. Sera's eyes widened at the pet name he gave her and her heart was filled with joy and warmth.

_'He remembers me. He was missing and tortured for so long, and he still remembers me.' _She thought to herself as she moved her neck a bit to look at him and gave him a tearful smile. "It's been a while, otuoto-chan."

Ophis had a slight smile on her face as Izumi smiled brightly at them. She knew that Serafall was one of the people Bryce talked about other Xenovia that he had spent time with before her, she could see that he missed her too.

Mittelt and Asia were confused at the new arrival before them while the latter couldn't help but be happy at the scene, the former tried to think of who this girl was, she knew she saw her before somewhere.

"Hey, Izumi-nii?" Asia asked the brunette as she tugged her top.

"Who is that?"

"Oh, nothing much Asia. She's just someone that Bryce met a long time ago."

After a few more minutes of crying, Serafall finally calmed down and took a deep breath as they all decided to get acquainted with one another. Sera introduced herself to the group and revealed that she was one of the four maou in the underworld, surprising both blondes as they both immediately paled and went behind Izumi and Bryce. Serafall panicked and waved her hands saying that she wasn't here to hurt them and that she was on friendly terms, Izumi was able to coax Asia out, Mittelt was still wary as she tugged Bryce's shirt for comfort where as the latter gently placed a hand on her head.

"So, you're not going to take me away?" Mittelt asked in a small voice.

"No, while I do need to confirm and take this up with Sirzechs, I can take your word for it. Plus with everything you just told me that has happened since you guys got here, with Sona and Rias and the fallen, you don't have anything to worry about." Sera answered her. "I'm also glad Sona-tan, hasn't given you any trouble as of lately."

"She's been a real help since we came here." Izumi complimented as she inwardly thought about Rias. _'I wish I could say the same for that redhead brat.' _

"Now that we're all acquainted with each other," Ophis interrupted them as she was sitting on her knees on the bed. "Could you two explain to me why you were not at your designated home?" she asked.

Izumi let out a small nervous laugh as she completely forgot to tell her about the other situation.

"We moved out because we didn't Rias or her friends' herself to come and find us again. I already threatened her that I would kill her if she tried to kidnap my family again, and I could care less if Sirzechs has a problem with it."

"Now now, let's no go around and start threatening little sisters Bryce." Serafall called out to him. "I just found you and the last thing I want is for Sirzechs to go on a rampage and kill you for killing his sister."

Bryce said nothing as he turned his head away from her.

"Anyway, I feel like we should have a girls day out." Izumi shouted trying drawing away the tension in the air.

"Huh!?" Asia, Mittelt and Serafall yelled as Ophis raised an eyebrow while Bryce knew where she was going with this.

"Oh that's a perfect idea, Izumi-chan!" Sera nodded her head in excitement. "We can get to know each other even more, and we could play some games, I'll even show you an exclusive of my character Magical Levi-tan!" She pumped her fist into the air earning a nervous chuckle from Mittelt and Asia.

Izumi turned her head to Bryce. "Although, what are you going to do Bryce? I mean you can come with us but you'll just be our… well…" Izumi trailed off as she tried to find the right words to say.

"I-I don't mind if oni-chan is with us." Mittelt voted as she turned her head away with a blush on her cheeks.

"Um… Mittelt-chan, I don't think Bryce can come with us." Asia guessed.

"It's okay, you girls go on and enjoy your fun day." Bryce said as he patted Mittelt on the head making her blush. "I'm going to stay behind and keep scouting for a new house, hopefully I can find one by the time you get back."

"Mother, would you like to come with us?" Izumi asked the mature dragon goddess who gave her a frown.

"…I would love too but I have other matters to attend very soon." Ophis told her as Izumi just nodded her head.

"Yeah, I get it you are a busy woman. But maybe one day you'll have time to relax with us?" Izumi asked.

"I shall."

"Sweet then, I guess we're all going out." Izumi said as Asia and Mittelt nodded their heads before brunette led them to the bathroom and shut the door. Minutes later, all three of them came out in different clothes. Izumi was wearing a short sleeve t-shirt and long plants with sneakers, Asia was wearing a blouse with a gray skirt and Mittelt was wearing a short sleeve hoodie with black pants and a bow wrapped around her neck.

"Alright, is everyone one ready to go?" Sera asked them.

"Hai!" Asia, MIttelt and Izumi voiced as Serafall smiled before turning to Bryce.

"You sure you'll be okay on your own?" she asked in a worried tone as the boy just nodded his head.

"Like I said, I'm not really going anywhere other than staying here so yep I'll be fine."

"Actually, I would like to have a word with you my hatchling." Ophis suddenly spoke causing Bryce to raise an eyebrow. Before he could say anything the girls said their byes as they left the room leaving the mother and son by themselves. As soon as the door was closed Bryce's gaze became serious.

"What did you tell her?"

Ophis' expression remained neutral as she spoke to her son. "I only showed her what you and Izumi have been through before I found you both, nothing more." Ophis informed.

"You… didn't show her about my other half?" he asked cautiously as the mother gave him a soft expression.

"I believe that is something you can tell her when you are ready. That secret is yours and yours alone." Ophis stated. Bryce let a small sigh as he brought a hand to his forehead.

"Still, I can't believe it. For almost a decade later, I see Serafall again and yet, she doesn't see me as a monster." He said but he didn't add the unspoken word 'yet'. He remained silent as Ophis suddenly wrapped her arms around him and brought his head to her chest, softly stroking his hair.

"No matter what you are, you will always be my hatchling. You and Izumi both, no matter what you become, I will forever stand with you against the world if I must."

"Mom…" He called out as his mother just tightened her hold on him, feeling nothing but warmth and love.

"You don't need to reconnect with her so fast, you both are entirely different people. It takes time for one to adjust, and i know you never liked change. Even though you adapt to it quickly, I know you never liked change and you're afraid to embrace it." Ophis explained.

"Yeah… can you stay with me please…." He whispered to her before slowly wrapping his arms around her. "I don't want to be alone right now." Ophis softly smiled as she realized that he wasn't acting, and he was being himself. Not acting strong in front of Izumi or Serafall, right now to her after the revelation of Serafall, meeting Asia and Mittelt and the problems with the redhead, it was all coming to him and he needed time to process.

"Of course my child." Ophis laid down with him as she kept him in her arms close.

* * *

Bryce woke up an hour later as he softly groaned and opened his eyes, his gaze meeting the white fabric of a pillow. He sat up and looked around and saw that he was still alone, meaning that Ophis had left some time after he fell asleep and the girls were still out on their day.

Letting out a small yawn, Eco got up over and looked down, seeing himself still wearing his shorts and gray t-shirt. He decided to change clothes so that when girls came back he could go and get dinner for them or he could call them…

No, he just wait till they get back.

*knock *knock*

Bryce raised an eyebrow as he heard someone knock on the door, who could it be.

_'it might be room service, or the cleaning people that usually fix the rooms. However, I was pretty sure I put the 'Do Not Disturb' tag in as soon as we got here.' _He thought to himself. Not dwelling on the matter, he decided to get up and answer the door but what he didn't know is that as soon as he opened it, he was in for a surprise.

Grabbing the knob, he opened the door and gazed at the person in front of him, only for his eyes to widen in shock as he saw a familiar person in front of him.

"Um… hi Bryce…." Rias introduced herself as she rubbed her arm with her left hand.

"Rias…." He said as he gazed at the redhead in front of him. The same redhead that had threatened them, kidnap and tortured Mittelt and knocked out Asia. What in the Hell is she doing here, and how did she even find him!?

"Um…" He was brought out of his thoughts as he saw Rias give him a nervous expression while tearing her eyes away from him.

"Is it okay, if I come in…?" she asked in a soft tone.

There was silence in the air as the boy just stared at the girl blankly while the redhead was getting more nervous and felt the situation becoming awkward, seeing as how she tried to kill him over the last few days.

He could only think of one thing to sum up everything that had happen in the last few hours.

_'Unbelievable.' _


	7. Truth And Judgement

The room was filled with a tense atmosphere as Bryce glared at Rias with intense eyes. The latter could feel herself shrinking under his gaze. Rias knew that she was stepping into uncharted territory the moment she entered the room, but she never knew how overwhelming it would be.

"Why?"

"Huh?"

"Why are you here?" Bryce started out slowly, his gaze never leaving Rias. "I thought I told you that if you came looking for my family and hurt them in any way, I would kill you on the spot without hesitation." He said in a chilling tone, causing the redhead to shudder at the tone.

"That's not why I'm here." Rias argued as the former raised an eyebrow. "I wanted to… apologize…"

"Apologize?" He said as he raised his eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes. I wanted to apologize for a lot of things but I can tell right now that I won't be forgiven that easily." Rias deducted as the boy nodded his head.

"You're barely forgiven at all." He said in a cold tone that hurt her heart but she remained calm in order to get through this. "I'm at a boiling point with you and your group, threatening Izumi, kidnapping and torturing Mittelt and stalking us… you have a lot of nerve coming to find me."

"Though, I'm surprised it's just you since I don't see the rest of your group." Bryce voiced as he looked around the room. "Or are they waiting somewhere to come and ambush me…" he trailed off but Rias quickly waved her hands.

"N-no that's not true!" She quickly answered, not wanting him to go after her peerage. "It's just me, I promise."

"Well your promises are nothing but empty." He said not wanting to listen to her mouth anymore. "Don't come near me or my family again, leave."

He grabbed her by the arm and was about to push her out until Rias quickly stopped him.

"No wait…. Please…" She whined as the boy ignored her.

"Get out."

"I'm ENGAGED!"

Silence entered the room once more as Bryce froze in place and looked up at the Gremory with slightly shocked eyes.

"You're…. what?"

"I'm engaged." Rias whispered as she leaned herself against the door, taking a deep breath to calm down as the boy let her go.

Meanwhile, Bryce was trying to understand something. Rias said she was engaged okay yeah big deal but it was the way she said, she didn't sound like the girl filled with pride and arrogance. She sounded like she was defeated or at her worse.

"Engaged… at the age of what 17?" he asked incredulously as the older teen nodded her head.

_'The Hell?"_

"Please… let me explain." Rias asked as they were still standing at the doorway. The boy then closed the door and led the princess to the bed and sat her down while he sat in front of her on the floor.

* * *

Izumi and the others were having fun as they all went to a mall that was about 3 miles from the hotel. They were currently in the food court as they enjoyed their lunches. Izumi and Asia were eating hamburgers, the latter following the former while Serafall and Mittelt were currently in line to get food from another spot.

"This is so good, Izu-nii." Asia said as she enjoyed her burger. "I never thought burgers would be this good."

Izumi humming in happiness agreed with the young blonde.

"Well you know Asia, there are other types of burgers besides the plain cheeseburger."

"There are others?" Asia asked in a shocked tone as the brunette nodded her head.

"Of course they are. There are tons of different types of burgers, like, bacon bbq, reuben, BLT, and a whole bunch of other combinations." Izumi informed.

"That's- that's amazing." Asia was filled with wonder at the knowledge of the American dish she came to know as the hamburger.

"If you want, I can always make burgers at home." The brunette offered as the blonde's eyes lit up in excitement.

"W-wha-?" Asia stuttered as she heard her adoptive older sister say that she would cook her new favorite dish. "You… really mean it?"

Izumi hummed and nodded her head. "Whenever you like."

As the blonde proceeded to hug the brunette, the fallen blonde was talking with the Leviathan Maou as the former kept gazing down at the bag.

"So how are you adjusting?"

"Adjusting?" Mittelt asked in confusion.

"I mean living with Bryce, Izumi, and Asia."

"Oh… well…" Mittelt trailed off before simply crossing her arms over her chest and let out a small huff. "Hmph, they're not too bad, I guess. I mean they are happy all the time and a bit noisy but it just doesn't fit with me."

Serafall simply gave her a wink as she gazed at the fallen.

"Now come on, I may act childish and have the well-endowed body of a sexy teenager…" Serafall started earning a sweat drop from the younger blonde.

_'Did she really have to pose for it?' _Mittelt thought to herself.

"…But I am a mature adult whose just as old as Sirzy and he's more of a siscon then I am. So, you don't have to hide your emotions." She finished.

Mittelt let out a small sound as she stared at Serafall before turning down to the floor and slowly her cheeks flushed.

"Well, I like them. I really like them." She stared as she released her arms and held her left arm and started rubbing it with her right hand. "Izumi's a big sister and sort of a mother figure, Asia is sweet sort of puppy fused with human traits and Bryce-nii…" she trailed off as an image of the said boy appeared in her head.

Her lips curled into a smile as she thought of him.

"He's so kind. He's been treating me as a person and he sees me as a little sister. Even though, he remains stoic expression on his face, I can tell what he's feeling." She explained.

"There we go."

"I got this gift for him and…." She trailed off as she stopped rubbing her arm. "I want him to like it." Mittelt said with a nervous tone.

Serafall simply giggled as she lifted her hand and gently patted Mittelt on the head.

"I'm sure he'll love your gift Mittelt-chan." Serafall reassured her as she continued comforting her. "Do you think he won't?"

"N-no but.."

"Ahbupbup!" Serafall silenced her as she pressed a finger to Mittelt lips. "No buts. That's all that you need to hear. If Bryce cares about you just as much as you do for him, then you know he will love your present for him."

"O-okay." Mittelt nodded her head as Serafall gave her a gentle smile.

At the stand, Serafall ordered their meals as they paid for their food and step aside before hearing the name called and picked it up. Making their way over to Asia and Izumi who the latter was listing off a bunch of types of burgers until they noticed the two coming over.

* * *

"Have you heard of the 72 pillars?" Rias asked.

"Yes, I know about the pillars of Satan and I know about those that are still alive and who is extinct." Bryce answered.

"Well my family, Gremory just so happens to be part of one of those pillars."

_'No kidding. Did she not hear me when I said that I know about all the pillars, including her?' _he asked mentally.

"And why is that bad? Your family is one of the original clans that was formed by the original Satan. If anything, that would basically have those who know you that are either lower than you or just blind idiots, lie at your feet all because your loyalty." He explained.

"And that pisses you off doesn't it?" Rias asked as Bryce's eyes narrowed at her words.

"The fact that your royalty doesn't but your attitude when I first met you did. The way you basically threatened us and your body language it was as if I was dealing with a spoiled brat." He stated.

Rias felt her heart sting at the statement as she was about to retaliate but stopped when she saw his eyes, cold and harsh eyes that have no trouble with killing others.

"Keep your mouth shut, you came to me for help and you're already testing my patience by being here. Please give me a reason to throw you out."

"Sorry."

"Likewise, I need to keep a cool head." He apologized with a blank face making the redhead sweat drop at his expression.

_'He really doesn't change his expressions, does he?'_

"So, back to the question."

"Right, you are right that I'm royalty but the fact that 40 of the 72 pillars are still alive and half of us were wiped out is not okay with the higher-ups."

"Meaning?"

"Pure blood devils." Rias answered.

"Oh."

"Apparently the council thinks that current status of pureblood devils are at all-time low and are not satisfied with non-pure devils outliving them. So, they decided the next best thing."

"Breeding pure devils by forcing heirs and heiress from remaining members of the 72 pillars into political marriages." He stated as Rias nodded her head.

"Correct…" Rias curled herself in a fetal position as she rested her chin on her knees. "In order for the pure blood devil to regain their dominance over those that aren't the higher-ups thought that Pure blood devils should marry those that share the same blood. Which forces us younger generation to bear it and have no say."

"That's messed up and ridiculous."

"IT's gets worse. The man I'm forced to marry is Riser Phenex." Rias stated as Bryce raised his eyebrow in curiosity. He's learned about the Phenex during his days in the cage, hearing the scientists that knew about the supernatural rambling on and on about the history of devils was worth learning after all. Phenex were known for their control over fire and immortality.

Bryce chuckled at that last thought.

_'Immortality. Hehe, no one is immortal, even gods. Everyone has a weakness, all you need is a way to exploit it and then use it to your advantage.' _

"So, what's this about Riser Phenex?"

"Someone I dislike very, very much." She groaned.

"You hate him?" Bryce asked tilting his head in confusion.

"Well… more like at his actions, he has an entire peerage of women all at his command."

"…What? Does this guy hate males or something?"

"No, he has a harem if you want to call it that. It's where he has multiple girlfriends all at once. A harem applies to both genders whereas the boy has multiple wives or a woman with multiple husbands." Rias explained to him.

"That sounds… unorthodox." Bryce said as he squinted his eyes trying to understand why there is something like that. "How does this have you hate his actions?"

"He treats women as if they were objects. He's arrogant, a selfish prick that likes brag on about how he is better for me than any other man out there and he's always trying to speed up the wedding."

"Mmhmm." Bryce nodded, not wanting to point out the irony in the situation. "So, the man is driven by lust?"

"Yes!" Rias said raising her hands up in the air. "All he's going for is my body and does not love me for the way I am." She exaggerated as Bryce stated mentally the difference similarities between the two.

_'She's full of pride while he's full of lust. A winning combination, flippin' great.' _He thought before speaking. "Didn't you ever talk to your parents about this, or maybe your brother since he's the Lucifer Maou?" He asked as Rias gave him a frown in return.

"My parents agreed to this and so did Riser's. As for my brother, he couldn't help much since he no longer bears or family name therefore it's clan matter."

"Are you serious?"

"It's why I asked him and my parents to let me come to Kuoh, I could form a peerage either before or at the time of the engagement so that I could fight my way out at the rating game."

"Rating game?"

"A rating game is a match between two devils with a peerage. It's used as a way to measure one's strength in the devil society and where they stand."

"That's stupid." He commented. "But then again, we humans have done more stupid things than anyone other race in the universe when it comes to social media." He said crossing his arms. "Continue."

"I only have 4 pieces, my {Queen} Akeno, my {Knight} Kiba, my {Rook} Koneko and my {Bishop} Gasper." Rias stated as she turned her head to him. "But you knew that already."

"Mmhm."

"I have a question for you Gremory…"

Rias paused as she did not like the tone of his voice.

"Y-Yes…"

"You said that you were looking for others to become your peerage members in order to beat Riser, correct?" he asked as she nodded her head. "So tell me, did you have someone hand a flier that looks like this?"

Rias became confused at what he was saying until she saw the paper he had in his hands.

"Yes, that's the one."

"And you had someone hand these out to people you think have power in them?" He asked and the redhead nodded her head. "Answer me this, you were planning on using this to get summon by Izumi in hopes she was killed by the fallen angel, right?" he asked and her eyes widened in shock.

Bryce was shadowing her that day. He shadowed her entire date and watched her best friend take care of the fallen before he went to take care of the ones at the church. He then encountered a familiar with a signature aura that belonged to Rias and was able to figure out what she was doing.

"I-I…"

"You were planning to let my friend die to the point where you could revive her as some savior to her?" He said as he stood up and his eyes were filled with fury and he slowly walked over to her. "You, a redhead who was willing to play God and decided to put Izumi's live in your hands and instead of going off to help her… you were willing to let her die and then resurrect her in order to get a strong piece so you could beat Riser?"

"All of this… For A STUPID MARRIAGE!" He shouted in the end as the air suddenly became heavy and Rias had trouble breathing. She started gasping as she struggled to breath and collapsed to her knees as she clutched her stomach, feeling the urge to throw up. She was able to keep it and went back to gaze at Bryce but when she looked up her eyes widened in fear.

She wasn't seeing Bryce… she was seeing something else. Red eyes leering over him as aura of death surrounded his body. Above him was a white mask with only the eyes and mouth sculptured to form angry look. And the worst part was… his smile. His eyes were blank and his smile was full of bloodlust as he stared at her.

"**I think I know who you are Rias Gremory. You see yourself as this savior towards those that are in your peerage. That couldn't be further from the truth." **Bryce said in a dark tone as he grabbed her by the collar and lifted her up to his face. "**You are no savior, you are someone who thrives on gathering lost souls. You find those who are emotionally or mentally damaged and use that to your advantage to gain their trust and loyalty. Think about it, Akeno, Koneko, Kiba and Gasper, all just happen to be within your reach. Tell me what have you done since you found them?"**

"W-What… what do you mean?" Rias asked only to get a dark grin in return.

**"Have you help them come out of their shell, have you healed their mental scars, anything?"**

Rias's eyes widened in horror as the pieces came together. She was filled with guilt as Bryce kept ripping into her.

**"No, you've done nothing. Absolutely nothing, all you done was coddle them as if they were fragile glass that were ready to break. **

Rias couldn't help but think about his words. Remembering all her encounters of how she had found her peerage.

'That can't be true, can it?' She thought as memories started hitting her head. _'Have I really done nothing to get through their emotional barriers?' _

**"You haven't train them to use their powers, you haven't even trained your powers yourself, how can you call yourself the princess of destruction when you can barely know how to expand your powers to help your combat?"**

Tears started pouring down Rias's cheeks as the harsh truth started settling in her soul. Bryce didn't care as the anger was still in his mind.

**"You Rias Gremory have failed. You have failed your family, you have failed your clan, you have failed your peerage but worse of all… you have failed yourself." **Bryce finalized as he stared deep into her eyes. Rias just tilted her head down as she couldn't even keep up as the words hurt and it hurt her even more when he was right. She had failed everyone, her peerage, her family, her clan, and herself.

The tense atmosphere suddenly disappeared as Bryce calmed down and gently drop Rias who slumped to her knees and was shaking. She was close to crying.

"Get out of here. I'm letting you go because I'm so close to losing my sanity and killing you… so get out." He whispered as he turned his head away from her.

Rias slowly stood up from her knees and walked slowly to the door. She opened and walked out before pausing at the doorway and turned her head slightly at Bryce.

"For what it's worth, I'm truly sorry for everything that I have done to you… and I hope one day, we can start over." That was all she said before closing the door behind her and left the hallway.

Teleporting home, she made her way into her room and closed the door behind her. She then collapsed against the doorframe and soon the dam broke. Rias put her hands in her face as she cried her heart out, the tears non-stopping as she furiously tried to wipe them away but to no avail.

* * *

Back with Bryce, the boy let out a sigh before gritting his teeth in anger and suddenly took a knife from his pocket and stabbed himself in his left arm.

He felt no pain as he stared at the blood dripping from his arm, panting as he eyed his arm. Gritting his teeth again, he continued to stab himself over and over again as he sliced his arm all the way up to his elbow, stopping at the edge.

He then threw the knife away and let out a scream of rage. He howled in fury as he thought of Rias. The spoiled princess that was trying to kill Izumi, the spoiled princess that thought of them as a threat and tortured Mittelt, she was no better than the others.

**_Kill her!_**

'_Shut Up!' _He growled to himself as the voices started spreading again.

**_End her life!_**

**_She tortured your sister and almost killed her!_**

**_She's no better than the ones that killed you and Izumi!_**

**_She deserves to Die!_**

**_She must Die!_**

**_THEY ALL MUST DIE!_**

Bryce growled as he sunk his own nails into his skull, trying to keep the voices from getting to him. After a few minutes, he felt them fade away and was able to hear his own thoughts once again. Taking a deep breath, he looked at the mess around her and the blood stain on the floor. He was going to get questioned by Izumi and Serafall the moment they come in.

Bryce then took a few minutes to clean up his mess and placed a spell over the floor removing the blood stain from the carpet before heading to the bathroom and wrapping up his left arm in gauze.

20 minutes later, he hears the sound of the door being open and walking in came Serafall, then Asia and MIttelt with Izumi being last.

"We're back!" Serafall announced in a cheerful tone.

"Welcome back." He lazily waved as he continued writing in a notebook.

"Did you find a house while we we're away?" Izumi asked as she came over to him before glancing at the gauze on his arm. Her expression forming a frown she planted her hand on her hips and spoke to him. "What happened to your arm?"

"Oh nothing, just a minor incident that's all." He said as Asia came over.

"I can heal it for you Bryce-nii." Asia offered but the boy gently shook his head.

"That's okay, Asia. I made this damage to myself so my punishment is letting it heal like normal." He said while Asia still gave him a worried look. _'Can't tell her that she can't heal scars.' _

"Oh, okay."

"You alright Mittelt?" He called out to the fallen who had a bag behind her back and was looking down with a blush on her face.

"Well..um… oni-chan… I got something for you." She said in a shy tone as she held the bag out to him. Bryce tilted his head in confusion as he took the bag and he picked up the item and saw what it was. It was a hoodie with a design on the front showing a multiple ghost hovering around and on the back, it showed two different masks next to each other, one happy and the other sad.

"Hmm."

"I wanted… I thought… you might like it… because… well i…." Mittelt got even more nervous as she stuttered and couldn't form any words. She was brought out of her thoughts when she felt a hand in her head and look up and saw a gentle smile on Bryce's face.

"I love it, Imouto-chan." He says as he put the hoodie on and looked down at the shirt admiring her gift. "I think… I finally have a favorite shirt." He said before turning to the fallen." What do you think?"

MIttelt only stared at him before smiling brightly as she was glad that he liked her gift before jumping on him and gave him a hug, as the latter smiled at patted her back. Izumi and Serafall were glad at the scene before the latter decided to share what they had bought from the store, Asia as well as she joined in.

Izumi, while smiling was inwardly worried about Bryce as the scent of blood made its way to her nostrils. She also noticed how tense he was when they came in, something happened while they were gone and as much she wanted to ask him, she saw how happy Mittelt was and did not want to take it away.

So she decided to discuss it with him at a later date. As the day continued, the group stayed in the hotel for the rest of the day before they had to leave the next day and then go to their new house.

* * *

The next day, Bryce, Izumi, Mittelt and Asia were staring up at the house in front of them with curious eyes, Serafall standing in front of them with a wide grin on her face.

"So, what do you think?" She questioned.

"It's… it's…" Mittelt stammered as she tried to form words but Asia beat her to it.

"It's so huge!" She said as Serafall smiled.

"Hmhm, it is. Before I left, I wanted to make sure that you all had a good home to live in." She said as she gazed at her Bryce and gave him a wink. "That and so I could check in on my little brother whenever I can."

"How caring." Bryce commented. _'For some reason though, I feel like that she made this so I could never leave her sight.'_

"My sister and I wanted to make sure you wouldn't disappear on us again." A new voice entered the fray. Turning his head to his right, he saw Sona staring at him with a stoic expression.

"Sona-tan!" Serafall shouted as she gave her sister a hug, much to the latter's embarrassment.

"C-cut it out!" She struggled to get her sister off of her but it didn't work.

"Well at least we know what makes the president all flustered." Izumi stated before giving a mischief grin and suddenly she was leaning against Bryce's back and had her chin planted on his shoulder.

"Do you agree Bryciee~" she teased him but it did nothing as the boy just gave her a blank stare.

"Get off of me."

"G-get away from my oni-chan!" Mittelt shouted as she sprouted her wings and flew behind Bryce separating Izumi before wrapping her arms around him and gave the brunette a pout.

"HAHAHA! Too easy!" Izumi commented as Mittelt gave a huff and looked the other way with Bryce just staring into space as Asia chuckled in a sheepish tone.

"Alirght everybody right this way." Serafall guided them inside. For a few minutes they surveyed the house as the blondes found it amazing as did Izumi while Bryce felt foreign to it seeing as how he was used to living in small places.

The place had two living rooms, one for the front and one in the back with a dining table, a kitchen and laundry room, and bathroom that was all on the first floor. The second floor had four medium-sized rooms, and two bathrooms.

The third floor was just a huge room with windows in the middle leading to the roof.

"So, what do you guys think?"

"It's amazing Sera-chan." Asia commented as Izumi nodded her head.

"I agree, this is the biggest house I've ever lived in." She added while Bryce gave his own opinion.

"It's nice and foreign, it's so weird being in a bigger place." He said as Serafall chuckled and lightly pinched his cheek.

"Well I'm glad that my little brother likes it." The older Sitri said as she took out a pair of keys and took out his hand before handing it to him. "Now as of this moment, this place is your home."

"Agreed." Sona added, as she gave him a gentle smile. "If you need help moving in, just let me know. I can get some of my members to help if you want."

"That would be great." Izumi thanked as she went towards Asia and Mittelt and placed her hands on both of their shoulders.

Serafall turned to Bryce and gazed at him with a soft smile. "Well duty calls, I'm needed in the underworld for another meeting." She went up and gave him a big hug. "Just call me if you need anything okay?"

"No promises, nii-chan." He said as the girl giggled and let him go. Sera then turned and gave her sister a gentle hug as well.

"Keep an eye on him for me, will you?"

"Of course, someone's got to keep our brother on track. I'll won't let anything happen to him." Sona said as she released her sister.

A rune appeared under Serafall as she was about to teleport away from them.

"It was nice meeting you all, Mittelt-chan, Asia-chan and Izumi-chan. Take care." She said as the trio returned the gesture.

"Thank you Serafall-sama."

"I hope we get to hang out again next time." Mittelt commented.

Soon Serafall sunk into the ground as she disappeared from her spot leaving the group and now it was just them and Sona.

"I guess I shall make my leave as well." Sona said as she readjusted her glasses. "WE all have school tomorrow and I will be happy if you both came back tomorrow, as well as our new students." She said turning her head to Mittelt and Asia. "I look forward to seeing you both. See you tomorrow."

Sona then excused herself as she went through the door and closed it behind her. Not long they all heard a teleportation spell being used and before it got quiet.

_'Well not that we're alone…' _Izumi mentally thought before gazing at the two blondes. "Asia, do you mind going up and exploring the upstairs for a bit with Mittelt?" she asked the nun who gazed at her in confusion. "You two can go ahead and pick your rooms, we'll meet you up in a little bit.

"Okay, come on Mittelt, let's go." Asia grabbed the fallen's hand and led her upstairs with a smile on her face.

"H-Hey, I can walk on my own!" Mittelt called out in a flustered tone as she was taken upstairs.

As soon as they were out of hearing range, Izumi turned to Bryce with a stern gaze as the latter returned the favor with a blank one. The brunette walked over to him and grabbed his left arm and rolled down his sleeve, showing the gauze.

"What happened?" She started. "Something happened while we were out yesterday, so what was it?" She asked before her expression morphed into a frown. "You didn't have another episode, did you?" She asked as he shook his head.

"No… let's just say that I had a visitor and our conversation ended very… very distressful for both sides." He said as he walked over to the steps and sat down with Izumi taking a seat beside him. "Rias, visited me."

"…. She What!?" Izumi shrieked quietly. They were already on bad terms with that girl and all signs were thinking that Bryce did more than just cut himself.

"You didn't…"

"No." He reassured her as he took a small breath. "I didn't do anything to her other than make her face reality."

"What do you mean?"

Bryce then proceeded to explain everything to Izumi that had happened before her and the girls left. The whole time he was explaining Izumi could see the expressions on his face change from blank to anger and then to regret… which shocked her because she didn't think he would regret doing what he did to Rias.

"I see. So she's in a forced political marriage?" she started as the boy nodded his head. "And because of this, she's been looking for people with strong magic." She earned another nod. "So how come I didn't see anyone that day?"

"I did. I shadowed you and transported the familiar back to her master but I kept the paper, I held on to it so I could study it. Other than it being a summoning paper."

"Uh, huh. And then afterwards, you not only got angry but you ripped into her about not just what she did to us but what she hasn't been doing to her peerage and how it had affected them and her."

"I didn't just do that…." He admitted. "I was this close to killing her for such a petty reason, and I had half a mind to but instead I channel my anger into leveling her and telling her the harsh truth before dropping. Once that was done, I told her to leave because if I hadn't I would've killed her right then and there." He finished.

"So, your arm?" She gazed from his eyes to his left arm.

"Was on me because I was angry at her for it all but I heard the voices in my head, urging me to kill her and then start going on a killing spree…. I had to hurt myself to keep it from getting stronger."

Izumi showed worry on her face as she placed a hand on the arm and brought to her lap before placing both hands on his arm and a small glow of white covered his arm.

"Why didn't you just call me?"

"Because I knew that you and girls were having fun and I didn't want to ruin it. So I just sucked it up and deal with it on my own." He said, earning a sigh in response.

"As much as I want to reprimand you for doing something so stupid, i do appreciate that you for thinking about us first." Izumi said, grateful for Bryce wanting to let Asia and Mittelt, be normal girls and have fun, herself included.

Reaching over, she pinched his cheek in a playful way.

"Sometimes, you're such a good boy~'

"Alright, enough of that." He said as he reached to get Izumi's hand off of his face.

"Why, you look so adorable when I do that." She said as she decided to play with both of his cheeks, Bryce had a tic mark on his forehead.

"Izumi…" he growled as he was about to speak until MIttelt and Asia came back and saw the scene between the two.

"We're back from exploring." Asia shouted still holding Mittelt's hand, the latter blushing a bit at the sisterly affection.

"Good, hey do you want to join me in teasing Bryce-chan~" Izumi said as the boy tried to remove her hands from his face.

"Don't you dare…" he said but the brunette ignored him.

"If you do, then I'll make your favorite dishes for dinner and you can decide what movie we get to watch for tonight." She stated.

While Asia was conflicted on whether to join in, Mittelt had no problem as she immediately dove with her hands reaching for Bryce's face.

"Surprise Attack!" The fallen shouted as she tackled Bryce in the chest.

"Ow, Mittelt!" He said but couldn't move as Izumi kept his arms bind and Mittelt squeezed and pinched his cheeks.

"He looks like an angry teddy bear!" Mittelt said in surprise as Izumi laughed at his expense.

"I'm joining too." Asia said as she wanted in on the fun, as Bryce inwardly growled at Izumi for starting this mess. However he was happy that both girls were having fun and started acting more comfortable and open about their emotions.

Izumi however was thinking differently. Inwardly, she was thinking something else as she felt her heartbeat start running faster than normal.

_'What…. What's going on…. Why do I feel so… happy?' _

* * *

It was now Monday and the group finally decided to return to school. Asia was excited to meet new people however, Mittelt was wary and didn't know what to think since she would be alone since she is a year younger than all of them.

Knowing this would happen, Izumi was allowed to accompany her for the whole day while she kept Asia with Bryce since she wanted to spend more time with the fallen.

"Everyone we have a new student entering our class today." Koneko raised her head as she looked up from her desk when she heard the teacher announcement. "You can come in."

Koneko's eyes widened in shock as she saw Mittelt in the school uniform and not in her original outfit, the only thing that stood out was the fact that Izumi was in class with her.

"Everyone this is Mittelt Hayate, please treat her fairly."

"H-Hi, my name is Mittelt Hayate… I'm new and I'm not sure w-what to do… but please take care of me." She introduced herself before hiding behind Izumi who giggled at her shyness.

"Alright, Mittelt you can ahead and sit next to Toujou. Toujou please raise your hand." The female teacher ordered as the cat girl raised her hand.

Mittelt stiffened once she saw who was there, she remembered the girl from last week and didn't know how to feel about this but then she also remembered that she was the only one who didn't attack her brother. But that didn't mean that she wasn't part of the kidnapping plan either.

So, the girl slowly made her way over to her and sat next to Koneko while keeping her head down. Izumi was behind them as she leaned against the wall, keeping her gaze on the nekomata.

On the other side of the building in the second-year classes, Bryce was doing the same for Asia but the latter was so excited to meet new faces and quickly made 3 new friends. The perverted duo decided to join in but were stopped cold thanks to Bryce who after figuring out what they were planning kneed them both below before throwing them out the window and into the trees all while glaring at them with a cold glare.

While everyone in class were slightly astounded by his actions, Asia instead smile at how adorable her brother figure was for his protective instincts although she could admit that the boys that got hit before being thrown out the window were a bit much. However, once she learned who they were from Murayama, Aika and Katase, she instead relieved a sigh as she watched her brother go back to his desk and suddenly slammed his face onto the desk scaring others but to Asia, she knew that he was taking a nap. Knowing that she would be fine.

After classes, it was now lunch time as the group was sitting underneath a tree. Everyone eating bentos that Izumi had prepared for the night before.

Asia and Mittelt were eating as the lone boy of the group was leaning against the tree with his arms crossed and his head against the bark. He was taking a nap until he felt weight on his lap, opening his eyes he saw the young fallen pouting at him.

"What is it?"

"Eat." She said as he gave her a somewhat confused glare.

"What…"

"Oni-chan needs to eat." Mittelt stated as she picked up her bento, taking the chopsticks she picked up a piece of gyoza. "Not eating is bad for you, meaning you're not taking care of yourself, so eat." She explained as she held the gyoza to his mouth.

"Hahahaha." Izumi laughed as she watched her little sister lecture her best friend on the importance of food.

"I'm not hungry." He stated earning a concerned look from Asia while the brunette continued laughing in the background.

"Bryce-nii, you really should eat." Asia added as the boy turned to her. "You've been sleeping all day today and only been waking up if it's about me or if I tell you about something that I did."

Izumi stopped laughing as she stared at Bryce, wondering if his nightmares were haunting him again or worse, the voices were getting louder.

"I'm fine." That statement didn't really settle with them as they all pouted at his response.

"Bryce."

"Bryce-nii."

"Oni-chan."

If he could, Bryce would've growled annoyingly at the fact that they were trying to force feed him when he said he was perfectly okay. He was about to response when he felt a power spike enter the area, turning his head west to where the ORC was located.

"Excuse me, there is something in the school that needs to be dealt with." He stated as he picked up a black ball and threw it to the ground.

"AAAHHH!" All the girls screamed as the smoke bomb went off and covered their vision. Once the smoke cleared, they noticed that Bryce was nowhere in sight, other than his book bag.

* * *

"For the last time Riser, I will not marry you!" Rias shouted at the man sitting in front of her.

To say Rias was having a bad day would be an understatement. Honestly, she looked worse for wear, when Akeno found her. She was still reeling in the events from when she talked to Bryce. Her pride damaged, her feelings crushed and her heart burned with guilt and despair as if it was having a stroke.

While Akeno and Kiba have tried to get her to talk, she responded that she was just tired and that she had just learned the difference between fantasies and reality.

Confused, they decided to leave it be as Akeno helped her get ready for school and help her with her features. Rias was emotionally drained that she didn't care for her beauty, she was only focused on the members of her peerage.

She remembered how she met them and how easily she had found them as well, but more importantly, she remembered how all damaged they all were.

Akeno, with her hate for fallen angels and her father, Kiba with his hate for the holy swords and the loss of his comrades, Gasper for his vampire attributes and powers, and Koneko who was betrayed and was thrown to the wolves after her sister had left her.

They all had only fallen into her lap because of her older brother, who spoils her more than her parents. As the day went by, she's been going through the daily activities like normal but she still had felt guilt weighing her down about the truth to her peerage about her marriage.

While they all have met the man, no one other than Akeno and Sona had known that she was his fiancée and was being forced to marry him. So, she wanted to tell them the truth and discuss with them on how she was going to change but all that was put to a hold when her brother's wife known as Grayfia Lucifuge teleported in the club and had an announcement to deliver.

Rias could not have been more stressed out when she was told that Riser was pushing the wedding date to come at a faster arrival and as if God or Satan was laughing at her distress, the said man appeared a few minutes after Grayfia appeared.

Which leads to the events happening right now.

"Dear Rias, you know that the have no right to be selfish. The status of purebloods will soon be thinned if we do not act, therefore the marriage between is needed to keep the bloodlines pure." A blonde man with blue eyes said as he had an expression full of arrogance planted on his face. This young man was Riser Phenex.

A young man who believed that his family was more powerful than the other clans thanks to their unique ability, the myth of being immortal. Thanks to that, Riser was so egotistic and arrogant that he believed that he could get anything he want.

He wasn't even fazed by the glares he received from Rias' peerage, all the while Grayfia remained neutral and observe the whole ordeal.

"Are you willing to tarnish your family name for a ridiculous tantrum?" he countered while smirking at her.

Rias gritted her teeth as she looked away from him.

"No, I am not." She whispered as the blonde man let out a grunt of satisfaction.

"Then, you should marry Riser. Since there is no one more suited than me—"

"But that doesn't mean I will submit to you." The redhead growled as she glared at the man in front of her. "Not now! Not Ever!"

Riser shook his head as his expression started to become filled with annoyance. "Dear Rias, as a member the Phenex, Riser has had enough dealing with your games. Therefore, you shall be taken back to the underworld to marry me by force." He stated as his hand emerged in flames. "Even if it means burning your peerage to ashes!" He stated as he pointed towards Rias's peerage.

Grayfia was about to step in and stop him when Riser pulled his arm back but everyone was confused when they saw Riser struggling to move.

"W-What is this…. I can't move…" Riser stated as he tried to move his body but could not.

As everyone tried to figure out what was going, Rias eyes widened as she saw the small threads wrapped around him.

_'Wait but that belongs too…' _

"Now now, there's no need for violence." Everyone except Riser turned their heads to the window and they saw Bryce casually leaning against the window frame with his right hand in his pocket and his left outstretched, the threads shining from his fingertips.

Grayfia eyes slightly widened in shock as she wondered how this young man got in without her sensing him.

"This is just a simple conversation between two sides, violence should be necessary if the stage and events fit the script." He said as he started walking towards them.

"Rias, who is this young man?" Grayfia asked. _'He looks familiar but I can't figure out why.' _

"He's um…" Rias was still stunned at seeing him, she thought he wanted nothing to do with her.

"Who am I?" He started as he released Riser and the flames around his palms vanished as he tripped before regaining his composure. "I am nothing more than your average teenager who enjoys seeing a good show. I am Bryce Hayate… its' an honor to meet you Grayfia Lucifuge." He introduced himself.

"You know who I am…?"

"There's not a single person in the underworld I don't know about…" He started as an expression filled with annoyance made its way to his face, his eyebrow slightly twitching. "My mother drilled history into me until I knew everything about all three factions, and if I ever skipped out or miss a question she would have Izumi bury me into the ground and force me to dig my way out."

"That's cruel and unusual punishment." Kiba said with a sweat drop.

"Eh, we all can't be winners." Bryce shrugged his shoulders not caring the slightest bit.

"Remove yourself from this place." Bryce gazed at Riser as the blonde glared at him. "This is a private meeting between Riser and his fiancee', a worm like you has no place being here." He insulted.

Bryce tilted his head while Rias glared at the Phenex Heir.

"And a womanizer like you has no respect for women, get a life why don't you." A new voice entered the fray as everyone gazed at the door and saw Izumi with a wide smile on her face, along with Asia and Mittelt who was glaring at Bryce.

"Izumi." He said before mentally speaking to her. _'Why did you bring them here' _

_'Relax, I hid Mittelt's fallen energy from being discovered so no need to worry.' _She spoke telepathically.

After their psychic conversation, Riser eyed Izumi up and down like she was a piece of candy. However, Izumi was unbothered by it as she simply cracked her knuckles for what she was going to do.

"Just so you know Yakitori, I'm off limits." She stated as she blew a raspberry at the blonde man.

"You dare!" He shouted as he was about to roast her alive but was stopped when the temperature suddenly dropped.

"That is enough." Grayfia spoke in a cold tone. "Rias-sama and Riser-sama, both parties shall show restraint at once." She said as Rias and Riser both sat down on opposite couches.

"Even if the Queen of Lucifer is ordering me to stand down, then I shall comply." Riser said as Izumi snickered before whispering to Bryce.

"Kissass." She said earning a glare from Grayfia but was unfazed by it. Izumi would've continued if Bryce hadn't chopped her on the head earning a whine in return.

As the brunette rubbed her head, Asia started fussing over while Mittelt just let out a small huff while Bryce gazed at the silver-haired maid.

"Continue."

"Since both parties are unable to discuss this matter civilly, then it shall be settled in the form of a Rating game." Grayfia announced as Izumi, Asia and Mittelt looked up in confusion.

"Rating game?"

"Riser accepts this." The blonde chuckled arrogantly. "It will good way to make you submit before our marriage."

"And I will gladly return the favor in honor of beating you." Rias growled as Riser laughed at her statement.

"Haha! I find it amusing that you think you can beat me. I am an experienced in the Rating Games while you have never participated one. How can you win when you don't have a full set whereas Riser does." Riser stated as he snapped his fingers and in an instant, a flash of flames bloomed behind him and a set of women appeared behind him.

"Oh." Izumi said as she saw them while Bryce was unfazed by it.

_'Weak.' _He heard the voice say before shaking his head ignoring it. He also noticed a young girl with twin curls and blue eyes, he figured that it must be the man's younger sister.

"They don't look like much." She whispered after tugging Bryce's shirt, she then felt shivers down her spine when she saw Riser's eyes fall on her, Asia too.

"Once I'm done with you, I will move my next target onto them." He said as he pointed at Bryce and Izumi. "And once I'm finished with the peasant and the whore, I shall take these two young maidens and have them inclined to serve me." He stated causing Asia to shake in fear and tightly grabbed Izumi who now had a look of fury and wanted nothing more than to rip this playboy in front of her apart until there was nothing left.

She was about to until Bryce gave her a look and told her to wait, so she settled for growling instead.

Before sparks could fly, Grayfia clapped her hands together to get their attention.

"Okay everyone, the rating game shall be the deciding factor of the marriage between Rias Gremory and Riser Phenex."

"Riser is feeling merciful, so he will give you 14 days until the rating game to prepare."

"I'll take it." Rias accepted as Grayfia nodded her head.

"Then the Rating Game shall par take in 14 days ahead of time." Grayfia announced.

As Riser and his peerage were about to teleport away, Bryce then spoke to Izumi.

"Alright Izumi," he started earning everyone's attention. "Operation Nutcracker is a go."

The brunette slowly formed a feral grin on her face as she turned to Riser. Suddenly she vanished from her current spot confusing everyone at where she went until…..

CRUNCH!

"OOOOOHHHH!" A sickening crunch was heard as Riser screamed in pain as Izumi gave him a hard kick right in between the groin, with the brunette smiling at the shear agony the blonde was in.

The girls winced while Kiba shivered and on instinct covered his own manhood while Bryce and Koneko simply gave her a thumbs up.

As Riser descended to the ground, he and his peerage have disappeared leaving a stunned group and a laughing Izumi.

"HAHAHAHA! Did you see his face!" She exclaimed as she clutched her stomach with her back on the floor.

"Brutal!" Kiba whispered while Koneko held a board above her head.

"…Approved." She said as the score said 10 out of 10.

"Ara ara, Izumi's a little trigger happy isn't she." Akeno commented as she eyed the brunette. Rias was glad that Riser was gone and turned her attention to Bryce, she was about to speak until Grayfia spoke first.

"While I hate to interrupt, this is a matter between peerage members and since you are outsiders, I'm afraid you both cannot intervene." She stated causing Rias to frown but maybe this was the world's way of saying that she had no chance. Even with the training, she believed in her peerage but would their training be enough.

"Oh I have no intention of helping her." He replied earning looks of shocked from others beside Grayfia.

"And why is that?"

"Because this is nothing more than a favor from a friend." Bryce stated as he walked over to Rias and glared at her. "Nothing more, nothing less."

Grayfia frowned at his behavior before returning back to her blank expression. "Very well." She then turned to Rias. "You have 10 days Rias, make sure to use your time wisely." Grayfia stated as a magic circle appeared underneath her and she teleported away leaving the teens by themselves.

The room became tense once Bryce turned his gaze to Rias who stiffened at the contact, she was still in fear from the day before where he ripped her about her choices.

"Bryce I…"

"Save it. " He said in a cold tone as everyone flinched at his cold tone. "I'm only helping you because it's favor from Sona." He said as he turned and walked over to the window. Lifting it open, he was about to jump out but Rias' voice stopped him.

"W-Wait."

"I expect you to at least try and give your fiancée a decent fight in order to leave the marriage." He said as he jump out the window and left the area.

"O-o-oni-chan wait!" Mittelt yelled as she jumped out the window and followed him.

"Excuse m-me! S-Sorry for intruding!" Asia apologized before running out the door instead of the window.

"That jerk." Kiba growled as he clenched his fists.

"He's not one for conversation is he?" Akeno questioned.

"He's at the end of the rope with you all and so am I." Izumi growled as she turned her head to them. "Ever since we got here, you have been nothing but suspicious towards us and accuse us of allying with Fallen Angels. Which is ironic seeing as how you have one yourself with you."

Everyone went stiff while Akeno glared venomously at Izumi, her fingers twitching as she wants to release her lightning.

"And just how do you know that, Izumi?"

"Oh please, you're not the first hybrid I've seen not to mention you have that look of loathing and anger deep beneath that S personality of yours." Izumi stated rolling her eyes as she was unaffected by the stare that hybrid was giving her.

"You were exiled from your clan." She said before pointing towards Kiba. "You were a part of a failed Excalibur project, the only survivor." She said as the boy flinched before turning her gaze to Koneko. "You were used as a scapegoat for Kuroka's crime against your old king." She finished as her eyes landed on Rias. "I'll be honest Rias, the way you assembled your peerage is a good natural selection of a balanced team but it means nothing if you don't have the tools to back it up."

"What do you mean?" Rias asked, her eyes narrowing at Izumi forgetting her tense counter with Bryce.

"You are weak." Izumi stated earning a tense atmosphere from the others. "Not physically but emotionally, none of you are even close to having a sufficient amount of power to take on your fiancée and his peerage."

"You are in no position to talk down on my peerage, we can beat Riser." Rias said in anger as Izumi shook her head.

"Such a naïve child. Start thinking with your head, you cannot beat Riser not with your current level of power and when you all haven't even trained your powers." Izumi stated harshly, earning a flinch from them. "You all think this is nothing more than a high school fantasy dream, where you deal with typical teenage drama and the strays you kill that you think are powerful… hehehe….… wake the fuck up princess! Not everything is all kittens and rainbows, this is the real world where things aren't as black and white as you think they are."

"You take everything you have for granted." Izumi stated as she walked up to Rias and pushed a finger towards her chest. "You should appreciate the things your family has done for you, you go around the school masquerading as this perfect girl that does everything right, that all girls look up two and want to be like you but that cannot be any further from the truth."

Izumi grabbed the redhead by the scruff of her collar.

"You are nothing more than a self-centered bitch that sees herself above others and will do anything for a powerful peerage." Izumi stated as everyone around her started getting hostile but she was having none of it.

With a small head turn, she gave them all a terrifying glare that scared them. The air around them suddenly felt sick as if she was ready to kill them in an instant. They saw her free hand twitch as if she was urging them to give her a reason to go ahead and kill them, instead they all took a step back.

"You wanted that fallen angel to kill me so that oyu could revive me and then you would have my undying loyalty right….?" Izumi asked as Rias remained silent but felt the air around them becoming sick as if it was getting hard to breathe.

"Yes."

"Hmhmhmhm, well guess what…. If you think Bryce is insane…. It is nothing compared to what I will do to you. While he simply tortures his victims, I like to tear off your limbs one by one, I avoid vital points while cutting your limbs allowing me to watch you bleed out slowly as you die." She stated with a bloodthirsty grin on her face.

"So let me make this clear for you princess, if you ever go near him again… Sirzechs be damned, I will make your life a living nightmare, am I clear?"

Rias slowly nodded her head before feeling herself get dropped to the ground as Izumi gave her a innocent smile.

"Well then, I guess we have nothing more to discuss then." The brunette stated as she walked pass the frozen members of the ORC. Leaving them alone, she walked out of the building and went to the student council office.

However as she went to search for her family, she remained silent as she thought about her conversation with Sona from earlier.

**_'You want me to what?'_**

**_'I want you to help Rias get out of her marriage, if it comes down to it.' _**

**_"I assume this is the favor you want in return for helping Mittelt and Asia get settled her?" She guessed as Sona nodded her head._**

**_"Yes but before you get angry, hear me out. I already told Rias that she's on thin ice with you both and that if she does anything else then I'm calling her brother and my sister to handle the situation." Sona explained to the brunette._**

**_"Sona, give me one good reason why I should help her." Izumi said with a glare. "She did a lot of things to us that not only has earned Bryce's wrath but mine as well. I'm this close to taking her head off."_**

**_"Rias is not that bad of a person." Sona stated, trying to defend her friend. Even though things were tense between her and the redhead, she did not want to subject her to getting married to a Grade A jerk and remain miserable for the rest of her life, nor did she want her peerage to suffer either. "She's been so hellbent on trying to get out of her marriage that she hasn't been the same person that she was once."_**

**_"She set me up and wanted me to die just so she could revive me for my power."_**

**_"I'll admit, the way she did things was insensitive and unforgivable but she really does mean well." Sona explained. "Izumi-san, please, I know you both have issues with her but I don't want her to suffer anymore. If you do get her out of this, at least give her a chance to show you her true self."_**

**_Izumi was going to say no but she could tell by the look in Sona's eyes that she wanted her help. While Bryce wanted nothing to do with Rias, Izumi did want to give the girl a chance. As much as she wanted to reject the idea, hearing that the redhead suffering from stress of the marriage may have the brunette softened a bit. _**

**_Regardless Izumi was going to follow up on her favor anyway. Still that didn't mean she have to be friendly with Rias, she needed to see some progress from the redhead herself on how she would change, maybe then she might change her mind._**

**_"*Sigh* fine I'll do it." Izumi reluctantly said as Sona gave her a nod._**

**_"Thank you."_**

**_"Make no mistake though, until the redhead proves that she can be trusted and that she is different or is trying to make amends, I have no intentions of interacting with her unless it's about something that affects all of us." Izumi stated._**

**_"Fair enough." Sona accepted as the brunette gave her a nod and silently left the office._**

* * *

Izumi sighed as she thought about telling Bryce about the favor that they had to do and knew that he would be upset. She knew that he was not going to tolerate helping the redhead but they had to keep their end of the bargain, no matter how much they disliked it.

"Sona-chan… you better not give me another reason to distrust you as well." Izumi muttered to herself before continuing on her walk, inwardly thinking of ways on how to destroy a certain peerage once they meet up again."


	8. Two Vs All (Redux)

It's been nine days since the encounter with Riser, things have been quiet as of late. Other than continuing school, Bryce and Izumi decided to train Asia and Mittelt to defend themselves in case they were ever gone or if they were ever alone. They didn't want a repeat of last time and knew that it was better to have the younglings prepared in case someone tried to attack them.

Luckily one of the benefits of having a huge house away from the city, also meant having a big backyard and forest to yourself. Bryce declared it as a training ground seeing as how they could always restore the damage after they were done.

Asia could heal thanks to her sacred gear but she could heal a single person, she also was a slow runner. So, they decided to help her increase her healing powers and teach her some combat. Izumi helped with the magic while Bryce focused on combat. Izumi decided to teach Asia on how to expand her range of healing by forming an energy field so she could heal those within range. So far, she can hold it for about minute.

Mittelt was a different category. While the girl knows how to form a spear and dodge that was pretty much it. They could tell that Mittelt hasn't been in many battles nor does she believe she could do a lot of stuff due to her self-esteem being low because of the years of abuse from her fellow peers.

However, her spirits were lifted when they believed that she could become strong and when Bryce decided to have her spar with him. She didn't want to let them down, more importantly she didn't want let her big brother down.

Other than the normal exercises and lifting weights, they helped Mittelt increase her magic power and help her form different constructs for her light weapons. Other than her spear, she is able to form a shield and form into a staff. They wanted her to form a type of defense barrier in case she couldn't dodge an attack in time.

Afterwards, they focused on the girls' awareness by having them run drills in different environments. Which leads us to our current situation.

"AAAAHHHH!" Two voices screeched in the air, sounding like they were running for their lives. That statement is true. Asia and Mittelt were in fact running for their lives, dodging and jumping over logs and branches as they were being chased by a giant three-headed dog.

The three headed dog had different elements coming out of its three mouths. The first mouth had breathed fire, while the second breathed ice, and the last breathed purple lightning. Currently it was shooting bolts of lightning towards the girls.

"Less screaming more dodging girls!" Izumi shouted with glee as she watched her younger siblings run through the forest. "If you can stay alive for the next 3 minutes, then you both get some sweet deserts!" She screamed as she watching them from another branch, the tree taller than all the others allowing her to observe them.

"I can't believe I let you talk me into doing this." Bryce said with a blank face. He was on his hands and knees wearing a three-headed dog costume and was standing on a magic circle. The magic circle allowed him to visualize the hound of Hades and mimic everything dogs do. Well what a hound dog would do. Beside him were the two Sitri sisters, Serafall was giggling beside him and Sona had a smirk on her face.

"She did say she had a surprise for the girls with the training." Sona said but Bryce interrupted her.

"But she didn't say I had wear a costume with three dog heads and act like an actual attack dog, in order to help train them." He said in an annoyed tone.

"Well, you do look adorable in that costume." The elder Sitri cooed as she had her hands on her cheeks wanting to nothing more than pet Bryce on the head.

"I'm not adorable…" He murmured before turning his to Sona. "I can understand _her_ not stopping Izumi from doing this, but why didn't you?"

Sona quickly turned her head away, with a small blush on her cheeks.

"Oh no reason." She replied too quickly, not seeing the deadpanned expression on the boy's face.

"Izumi made a deal with you, didn't she?" he guessed.

"Yep, Izumi said that if I don't do anything to embarrass Sona for the entire day then we get to spend an entire day to ourselves as a family reunion." Sera stated as Sona nodded her head.

_'Family reunion' _Bryce wondered thinking that Sera was talking about her and Sona reuniting with their parents, excluding himself. _'Well I hope they enjoy their time then.' _ He then turned back to the screen of where Mittelt and Asia were panting out of air and then summoned some ice, covering the entire area in a small winter wonderland. Mittelt quickly let out her wings before grabbing Asia and flew away from the incoming ice shards.

"Speaking of family," Serafall's tone became serious. "I heard that Rias' lost her rating game against Riser."

Sona's expression became grim as she remembered the rating game from yesterday. Rias and her peerage were up against Riser Phenex in a last ditch effort to free the redhead from marriage. Her peerage started off strong but it wasn't enough, they were able to take out most of his peerage but they were unable to continue due to Riser's queen and the man himself. In the end, they were overwhelmed through the strength and power that Rias was unable to continue.

Now the wedding for the two was due tomorrow and there would be nothing to stop it from happening. Well, if you didn't have a plan.

"Yes, she did. She fought well but…" Sona trailed off as she remembered the events that led to Rias' defeat.

"I know and now the wedding is tomorrow, I'm sure Riser is pretty ecstatic for his new bride." Serafall said in a sarcastic tone. "I'm pretty sure Sirzechs has one more idea to free Rias but at the same time I don't know what it is.

"Yeah, he probably does." Sona nodded before turning her head to Bryce who kept his gaze on the screen. She knew that he was thinking the same thing as her. The favor that she had asked him and Izumi to do. Technically she only talked to Izumi and never the former, but she still knows that he doesn't like it.

She would talk to him before she and sister have to leave, but in the meantime she was going over how her conversation with him would go and find the right words to say so she doesn't set him off.

"I still feel bad for Rias, though. It isn't fair." Sona commented as she remembered the dead look in Rias' eyes when she met up with her. It hurt the Sitri heiress to see her best friend, so hollow… so dead… as if it was the end for her.

Bryce remained silent as he continued on with Mittelt and Asia's training as if he didn't care. Inwardly, he was listening to every word they were saying. He was having conflicted thoughts about the favor for Sona.

He didn't hate Rias but he didn't want anything to do with her. She was just someone he had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting. She had tried to kill him, she had kidnapped Mittelt, she even staged Izumi's death only for that to fail, she's given him plenty of reasons not to trust her. Sona said that she was only like this because of the wedding but he didn't care. Unlike Izumi, he wasn't someone who was forgive easily.

And then there were the others. Akeno, Kiba and Koneko. Akeno was a hybrid who was holding back a lot of power on purpose all because of what happened with her family. When he zapped her back at their battle, he got a glimpse of her past and saw how she became who she is now and why her lightning looked so familiar.

She was Baraquiel's daughter who was a fallen angel and her mother was a human. From what he saw in the memory she hates her father for not saving her mother Shuri. However, it made no sense to him.

_'She hates him for not being there when her mother died while protecting her. That's a little ridiculous, there's something that's missing from the story here.' _

He shouldn't care about this but it irked him to leave this puzzled unsolved. Moving on, there was the knight Kiba.

He immediately knew that there was something off about the guy as soon as they met. He was a ticking time bomb ready to go off, as long as you didn't mention Excalibur that is. He remembers reading about the sick project that took place around the time he was in the looney bin, a bunch of kids dying because of a madman named Valper trying to see who was able to use the legendary sword Excalibur only for it to fail. He then used poisonous gas to kill all the children, Kiba was able to escape but suffered through the poison and it was only because of Rias that he was saved.

When battled Kiba, he could see in his eyes that the blonde had hatred inside him that had been buried deep and unchecked.

Last there was Koneko or Shirone, her original name. Like Akeno she was holding back on her full power, unfortunately for Bryce he had no data on Koneko at all other than the fact that she had a sister named Kuroka who had abandoned her and went rogue after killing their master by going crazy with power after absorbing too much senjutsu. Koneko would've taken her sister's place upon execution had Sirzechs not intervened and saved her life.

_'She's holding back her senjutsu_, _i think it's because of the trauma she went through that she's intentionally holding back. *Sigh* Rias may have found a good peerage but she has not done anything to help them move on from their past.' _

_'Hehehe, like I'm one to talk.' _

Which was why he was debating on whether or not he should agree to Sona's favor.

_'I really shouldn't get involved, it's not my concern. Favor or not…" _Bryce thought as he gazed back at the screen in front of him. Suddenly a pulse went through his head and flashes of a certain memory came to his head.

He was in a small arena, staring at the dead body in front of him with a terrified expression. Next showed Izumi screaming in pain, then a woman standing above him giving a smile as she wiped the blood from his cheek.

_'Where the hell did that come from?' _Bryce wondered as he frowned at the sudden memory that came to him. Before he could think on it, he was brought out of his thoughts when he heard panting from behind them. As he and the Sitri siblings turned around they saw Mittelt and Asia out of breath, leaning against each other for support while Izumi stood aside them.

"Congratulations, kiddies. You have survived your final beginner course! Rejoice!" Izumi cheered as she hugged the girls to her large breasts, both blondes moaning in relief.

"Yay~"

"Great…" Asia then collapsed against Mittelt who laid on the ground face first, the former landing on her back. "So tired…"

"No more please… my legs can't take anymore…" Asia groaned.

"Now we can move to Intermediate!" Izumi pumped her fist in the air with excitement.

"WHAT!?" Asia and Mittelt shouted before moaning as laying back on the ground. Their souls leaving their bodies as Izumi freaked out and grabbed both of the souls, trying to revive them.

"I think they're exhausted." Serafall commented.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" Bryce offered as he stood up. "Izumi's making Italian for the night?"

"Oh, what's this my cute little brother inviting his big sister to dinner~" Serafall teased as she gently pulled on the boy's cheeks.

"Quit pulling." He noted unaffected by Serafall's teasing.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to stay." Sona answered. _'Plus, I can talk to him alone about the favor I told Izumi, if she hasn't already told him.' _

"Wonderful!" Sera grabbed Sona by the waist and hugged her while mushing her face against her cheek. "My two cute siblings having dinner under one roof, then we end up all together in bed sleeping and before you know it, we have a threesome~" She giggled while Sona turned bright red at her sister's implications.

"Oni-chan, stop it!" Sona tried to get out of her sisters' arms but the latter was stronger. Bryce just tilted his head in confusion at the threesome.

_'Does Serafall love her sister that much to go to that level of bonding?' _He asked himself before shrugging his shoulders. _'Well there is love for everyone out there.' _

"Alright, then let's get you ladies clean up." Izumi announced as she picked up both blondes and started heading towards the house. "Sera-nii and Sona, if you like you can use the bath as well."

"I shall take you up on your offer, Izu-chan."

* * *

Izumi was in the bathroom as she was currently taking a bath, basking in the warm and steamy water that surrounded her body. She sighed in contempt as she wanted to relax and rest in the bathtub until she heard a splash in front of her. Curiosity peaking her thoughts, she looked up and was surprised to see Bryce in the tub with her.

"Bryce?"

"Before you ask, Mittelt is asleep and Asia is reading a bible but I told her that lights were out at 8:30 so she's got 10 more minutes." He explained to her. "Sorry for coming in unannounced."

"No, it's okay." Izumi dismissed. "I just find it odd for you to be in the bathroom with me, did you think that no one was in here?"

"No, I knew you were here." He started as Izumi narrowed her eyes at him. "I just needed to…. Relax I guess…" he said with uncertainty in his tone.

Izumi expression morphed frown as she knew that he sounded different right now, she quickly placed a fake smile.

"That's good, you haven't exactly been taking it easy and you've been helping with the girls training and training yourself non-stop so you definitely need some time off." She said before sitting upwards, gazing at Bryce with a perverted look. "Help me wash my back and I'll wash yours~~"

"…. Okay…"He said and Izumi looked taken aback at her friend. He would usually deny her intimate acts or just reprimand her for doing it but he was… here he was letting it happen…

_'Something's not right.' _Izumi thought before speaking to him. "Awesome! You wash me first and then I'll do you okay?" She suggested and he nodded his head.

Izumi slowly move close to him before turning around as Bryce took a washcloth hanging over the side of the tub. Drenching in water and then wringing it out of the tub, he applied some bath soap onto the cloth and applied it to Izumi's back.

The brown-haired vixen moaned at the cold contact of the liquid soap, ignoring the small jolt of pleasure that felt in her nether regions. The sounds of water dripping every few seconds was the only thing that was making noise as Bryce washed Izumi.

He was being careful around her chest and lap as he did not want to accidently touch her breasts. He knew that Izumi did not mind him touching her but he always respected her privacy and boundaries unless she was okay with it.

The said brunette decided that enough was enough and went straight to talking.

"Hey, Bryce?"

"Hm."

"Did something happen before you came in here?" Izumi asked with a concerned look on her face.

The puppeteer contemplated on if he should lie to Izumi but it was basically pointless since they knew each other like the back of their hands, more than anyone else would. So he just went to the truth.

"Sona came back." He started off. "She wanted to talk to me about the favor regarding to helping Rias with her marriage."

"Oh." Izumi said as she had forgot about that. "Well, did you guys talk about or what did you tell her…?"

* * *

_Bryce was currently doing the dishes as the girls were all doing their own things. Izumi went to take a bath and knowing her she would probably be in there for awhile, Mittelt went to sleep as she was completely exhausted from the little run with Cerberus. Asia did offer to help with the dishes but he told that he was okay and gently told her to rest, earning a small pout and a reluctant nod from the nun. _

_He just finished putting the dishes in the dishwasher as he started the cycle and used a towel to dry his hands when he suddenly felt a presence behind him. Eyes narrowed, he grabbed a steak knife and turned around, grabbing the intruder by the chest and shoved them against the wall and pressed the knife near their throat. _

_He met violet eyes hiding behind bespectacled glasses and realized who he was facing. "Oh its you." He said as he let go of Sona who had an annoyed expression._

_"Was that really necessary?" She asked as she fixed her shirt._

_"You didn't say anything, and your footsteps sounded different from the others so I thought you were a threat." Bryce answered as he stabbed the knife onto the counter, not really caring about the dent he just made._

_"Wait," Sona gave him a incredulous look. "You thought I was a threat just by the sound of my feet?"_

_"Vibrations. Everyone has a unique set of frequencies in their body, I've been in the house long enough to recognize everyone's set of infrasonic waves within a certain range."_

_"Wow that's actually impressive." Sona had an expression of acknowledgement on her face._

_"Just something I learned to do in the past." He stated, avoiding to say that he really learned it from his captivity. "Anyone, what did you want? Do you need something?"_

_"Oh that's right, I needed to talk to you about something." Sona said as she pushed the rim of her glasses. "It's about Rias and her marriage."_

_"Not interested." He flat out denied._

_"Wait! What are you-?" She stuttered before being interrupted._

_"I'm not helping Rias with her marriage problem. She fought Riser and lost, simple as that." He said earning a glare from Sona._

_"She was outnumbered and inexperienced, it was a major disadvantage." She argued._

_"True, but she had about how many years until she could get out of her contract oh that's the right the moment, she got her peerage pieces." He said._

_"Only because her parents have decided it for them. She couldn't get out of her contract unless either both sides disagreed with the conditions or winning a Rating Game, and we both know that the Rating Game was her only option left." Sona continued._

_"And how that work out for her…" He muttered but she heard him._

_"She was under stress and she hasn't been able to focus because of this."_

_"Really, because from where I'm standing it's the opposite of that." Bryce said as he narrowed his own eyes at Sona's. "Since we got here, she has been nothing but distrustful towards us, tortured my sister and tried to kill us right after. Not to mention, she hasn't been doing a good job of taking care of your territory." He put air quoted territory._

_"What do you mean?"_

_"When I went to the church full of fallen angels before I killed them, I asked them when they had gotten into town, their objective and if they were alone." Bryce brought up remembering the past. "Imagine my surprise when I find out that they've been here for about a month."_

_'Dammit Rias, why didn't you tell me about that?' Sona wondered to herself before turning her attention back to Bryce. "What else did they tell you?"_

_"I'll think I'll keep that one to myself." _

_"I think you should tell me about it since it's my territory as well."_

_"Hehehe, please princess if I wanted to tell you about it, I would've already done so. It's not anything dangerous at the moment, nor is it important for you to know so I'll think I have every right to keep this information." He answered as Sona crossed her arms under her chest with a cold glare._

_"Do you have to be insensitive, when did you become so selfish?"_

_"Hey pot, kettle calling black here. Hypocritical of you." Bryce called out, earning a glare form Sona. The talk she was having with him wasn't going well and she wondered if he was even going to bother return the favor. "Isn't it in your nature to be selfish as devils like us humans?" He asked before stopping and went into his thoughts. "Wait, jury's still out on that one because we know when it is okay to be selfish and when it is not while for you guys it's in your blood." He finished as Sona was clenching her teeth hard. She was getting nowhere with him._

_"Bryce please, just help her out. I'm cashing in my favor from you guys right now." Sona ordered as the boy simply rolled his eyes._

_"No. I don't what this favor is that you are cashing in nor do I care if it involves Rias. Whatever this favor is I don't have to follow it. I don't owe anything to you." Bryce then attempted to leave the kitchen but Sona grabbed his wrist. "Let go."_

_"So that's it? You're just gonna walk away and let her suffer, suffer the same way you and Izumi did back then, you said you were going to give her a chance but you're not even following up your end of the deal." Sona started as she let her anger get the best of her, done with this boy insulting her best friend. "I guess I shouldn't be too surprised seeing as how you're too caught up in your anger like Rias and letting that cloud your judgement." _

_That remark earned her a close up into Bryce's eyes and she was frozen at what she saw. Instead of normal silver eyes, she saw black sclera and white eyes staring into her soul before it changed back to normal with Bryce giving her his glare._

_"Don't even think about it, Sona. You don't know me or anything about me…" He started as Sona shook her head._

_"It doesn't matter, I get it." She removed his hand from her chest. "You don't trust Rias and nothing I'm saying will change your mind." She stated in a soft tone. "What would my sister say if she saw you right now? What if it was her in trouble or me? Would you deny her as well, would you be giving her the same reactions you are doing to me?" _

_Bryce didn't say anything as he stared at the ground and gritted his teeth. _

_"Get out…." He threatened as Sona sighed and turned to leave before turning her head at him._

_"I won't bother you anymore." She then left leaving him by himself as he slowly let out a breath that he was holding._

* * *

"I see." Izumi noted as Bryce finished washing her. "So, what do you think?"

"I guess I sound selfish right now, don't I?" He said as he let go of Izumi as she dropped down into the water, the sea rinsing the soap off her body.

"A little… but at the same time your response is natural. After everything that happened with Rias, you are not going to let yourself be fooled or let any of us get hurt in the process if something that revolves around her." Izumi deducted as she turned around to face him.

"I know you want to give her a chance but I don't." Bryce said as his eyes slightly narrowed on his blank expression. "I'm not letting her near you or Mittelt or Asia, the same goes with her peerage."

"I'm debating on it." She said as she looked up at the ceiling. "I want to give Rias another chance but I knew that you wouldn't like it. Mittelt would also be wary around her and her peerage since she doesn't to be near anyone but us and Asia is still timid and shy but she's trying." She stated, letting out a small chuckle as she thought about the blonde nun. "I swear that girl doesn't have a bad bone in her body."

Bryce couldn't help but agree on that. Asia was literally a ball of sunshine that wouldn't turn a blind eye to those who are suffering. If anyone needed help, she would be the first to jump in. If it meant that she could make someone smile, that was good enough for her.

"She needs to be careful though…" Izumi suddenly said. "Her acts of kindness can also be taken advantage of, so we'll have to make sure that she looks underneath the underneath."

"Hai." He agreed as Izumi went back to scrubbing his back.

Bryce stayed quiet as he thought about her words. Something for him to answer on his own, what was she saying. Is the answer easy or is it hard? He couldn't tell… also why the hell is the sponge so soft and firm…

The more he thought about it, Bryce then had a deadpanned expression on his face as he realized what was touching him.

"Izumi…" he called out as she stopped moving. "Are you using your breasts to scrub my back again?" His question earned a few giggles out of the brunette.

"Yep, why does that make you feel aroused?" She teased as she gave him a seductive smirk and he gave her a flat response.

"No."

"Hahahaha, aw, foiled once again. One of these days, I will get you to feel flustered." Izumi said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and resumed her ministrations.

* * *

Bryce was alone in his room, thinking to himself as he rested on the bed with his eyes gazing up at the ceiling. He was thinking about Sona's words and Izumi's words and their emotions. Sona was getting angry at him for not helping her friend and then brought up her sister on how she would feel about it.

He inwardly growled at that. The fact that she brought up her sister to the conversation as a way to rope him in. She even said that he was acting like Rias, letting his anger blind him and cloud his judgement. If anything, that ticked him off, then she said if they were roles were different would he do the same?

The more he thought about it, the more he was slowly being consumed with anger and slowly leaking killing intent. However, he was brought out of his thoughts when he heard knocking on his door.

"Um… oni-chan." Hearing Mittelt's voice, Bryce stopped leaking his killer intent and slowly sat up from the bed.

"It's open." He said and the door opened and he saw the fallen angel. "Hey there."

"Hey." Mittelt replied with a blush on her cheeks. She had on pajamas consisting of grey top with bats flying in the center and matching pants.

"How you feeling?" He asked as she made her way over to the bed and sat down next to him.

"I um… I was just wanted to see how you were doing." She replied.

"Really?" he asked as she slowly nodded her head.

"You…" Mittelt gazed at him with a worried expression. "You were silent and you looked sad when you were coming up the steps. I saw Sona-san leaving the kitchen earlier. Did something happen?"

Bryce just gave her a gentle smile and raised his hand to rub her head.

"It's okay. Just a little disagreement between us."

"What about?" She asked.

"Nothing you to worry about imouto." He reassured her.

"Are you sure…?" She asked as he slowly nodded his head. "Okay." She relented with her head hanging.

"What's wrong, is it something I said?" He asked as the blonde quickly looked up at him and shook her head rapidly.

"N-n-no Oni-chan! You did nothing wrong!" She said waving her hands rapidly. "It's just that… I like seeing you smiling."

"Smiling?"

"You rarely smile. You would smile around me and the others but with everyone else is as if you shut yourself off. Like if you are afraid of opening up."

"Oni-chan… are you hurt?" Mittelt asked him. To anyone that would sound like a simple question but to Bryce it meant a deeper meaning.

Has he been hurt, no how long has he been hurt before all of this? The answer to that is a long time… and right now he's not even sure if he can ever stop being hurt.

Sighing, the older male just pulled the blonde into a side hug.

"I am Mittelt." He started. "I am hurt and so is Izumi but we don't show it much. It was a long time ago when we got hurt but we never really got over it…. It was really bad."

**_'Of course it was. It's why we are still in your head, right!?' _**He mentally forced those dark thoughts to go away.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked slowly but he shook his head.

"Maybe someday but… not today." He said as she nodded her head and got off the bed.

"Okay," Mittelt started before giving him a determined expression. "Then I'll just have to make you happy."

"Hmm?" He asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"Whenever, oni-chan is feeling sad it's the imouto's job to cheer them up. So that's what I'll do." She said giving him a bright smile.

Bryce stared at her for a moment before closing his eyes and silently chuckled.

"Then I guess I shall leave it to you, Imouto. I'm counting on you." He answered and Mittelt nodded her head before wrapping arms around his midsection and hugged him.

"Goodnight Oni-chan!" Mittelt said as she left the room, now feeling happy about her conversation with her brother.

As she left, Bryce couldn't help but think back to Mittelt's expression when she was smiling. He loved seeing her smile, she was filled with joy and happiness, no longer was she filled with despair and emptiness that was causing her to feel like she didn't matter to the world.

It wasn't even her fault that she was born without parents nor for being different from other fallen. And from where she was mostly abused physically, she didn't deserve that. She was just a child, a child that wanted to be loved and acknowledged, but instead got the opposite all of that. She wasn't given a choice, it was decided for her.

Just like when Asia wanted to help someone and got excommunicated in return, when Izumi was rejected by her parents. Everyone deserved to be happy.

"Can I come in?" Bryce was once again brought out of his thought as he looked up and saw Izumi in her pjs staring at him as she walked in and closed the door behind her.

"Well, you're already in the room so it doesn't really matter does it?" Bryce said in a deadpanned tone.

"Hmhmhm, no I guess not." Izumi said as she walked over to the bed and sat next to him. "So, have you decided what you want to do?"

"Yes, I don't want to help them."

"Bryce…"

"I have good reason. What's to say that she won't turn on us even if we do help her out? She could easily be lying and faking her feelings, and once we take care of the problem she'll revert back to her original self and continue to try and manipulate us."

"No, her feelings are very real." Izumi refuted as he glared at her. "At the meeting, I could see the hate in her eyes she had for him. She really despises the man, and I can't say I blame her." Izumi frowned at she remembered the meeting with Riser.

"So how is that our problem? Also why are you so hellbent on helping her out?"

Izumi sighed as she knew that her next words were going to make her best friend angry.

"Remember when you almost killed them the first time…" she started as he nodded his head. "Well, before all that I was talking to Sona about letting Mittelt and Asia enrolling them." She saw Bryce's eyes narrow at the mention of Sona, the brunette knew right there because of the conversation they had earlier, the Sitri heiress was now on his list of people that were distrustful to him. "However, in letting Mittelt and Asia in, we would do a small favor for her in return."

"So, we were screwed from the start? Unbelievable." Bryce growled in anger. _'So that's what Sona meant by cashing in her favor… Now I got two princesses to take care of.' _He thought to himself.

"Bryce, calm down."

"Calm down, Izumi why the hell are we here again? Why in hell are we here in Japan surrounded by selfish princesses and their peerages? Why should we have to help them out? All because of a damn favor!?"

"Sona asked us to give Rias a chance."

"Sona can kiss my foot for all I care. She had no right bringing up the fact I was acting like Rias. Do you believe we should help the redhead because of not wanting to be married to a jerk?"

"Well…"

"I'm willing to bet that this is probably the only bad thing that's actually happen to her. She's making it sound like it's the end of the world for her. She's throwing a fit because she can't escape her marriage from a guy who cares more about her body than her herself? And the only way she could was to beat him in a rating game since it was one of the only two options she had." Bryce stated as he glared out the window.

"One of two options?" Izumi questioned.

"A rating game or if both sides disagree. The second option is gone so her only option is the first one and she's really screwed that one up. Instead of training her peerage or finding others, she spends her time dilly dally here and doing a half of a job of watching over this territory, will only find someone if they interest her by manipulating them into her hands. That's what she wanted to do to you, remember?" He said.

"I remember very clearly." Izumi gave him a glare as she spoke in a harsh tone. "I warned her that I would do worse to her if she tried it again or did something similar to the girls or you."

"Then why do you want to help her then? Like I said Rias doesn't know anything. She had the luxury to grow up in a nice home with a family. She isn't us, She didn't have to deal with being bullied, She didn't have to deal with being abandoned, living in a psych facility or being called murderer on the spot." Bryce growled as his sclera were switching from white to black. "She is lucky, she should be more grateful for the life she has but instead she's a spoiled brat who's not use to hearing no and will do anything to get what she wants. She wants _us_ to solve a problem for her when she can't take the initiative to do it her damn self… what kind of sense does that make and how will it benefit us? Answer is, it won't."

Izumi remained silent and calm as she listened to him rant. She could tell that he probably had more to say but he was only saying the important parts. They were all true, Rias's approach on them was not a very welcoming one and she is manipulative but she's also a child… Izumi knew that Rias and Sona were teens but they were still children because they've been sheltered from the true evils of the world.

"Despite it being a favor… I actually want to try and lessen the tension between us." She answered and Bryce eyes widened in shock.

"You actually want to give her a chance…"

"Sona keeps telling me that she isn't a bad person. The marriage has been stressing her out and causing her to make stupid decisions revolving those around her and herself, it may have softened my anger a bit." She explained as Bryce was slowly breathing trying to keep his emotions in check as he could hear the voices in his head. "I have no intentions of interacting with her until she herself tries to make amends with us, and her peerage, since they all were involved…. Well except for the little neko. Also, Rias wouldn't really lose anything."

"Wait what?" Bryce raised his eyebrows in confusion.

"I asked Sera about the terms of a political marriage when she was here, she said that Riser was being married to her, meaning that he would have no control over her or her peerage." She explained. "Rias is an heiress to her family while Riser is not to his, he's the youngest brother of four and the older brother to Ravel. His oldest brother Ruval is the heir of the Phenex clan. So even if they both did get married, Riser would have no control over Rias and her peerage."

"So the redhead didn't even read the full contract?" Bryce asked as Izumi nodded her head and sighed.

"Exactly. Though, I doubt she would still marry him even if she knew that. Izumi deducted.

"Nope. That's it, I'm done, I'm not helping her." Bryce finalized as he turned to leave.

"Bryce please…" Izumi stopped him and pulled him on the bed before straddling him leaning herself over him.

"Get off me."

"Nope, not until you listen to me. I know you don't want to help her and don't trust her and neither do I but I want to give her the benefit of the doubt. I want to see if she really is different person than who she was before." Izumi pressed a finger to his lips as he was about to interrupt her. "That being said, we don't have to interact with her. Once this is over, we can just go back to our lives and let everything go on from there. You don't have to talk to her but you do need to cooperate if there is a problem that involves all of us and that will be the only time you have to engage with them."

Bryce remained quiet as he seemed to be thinking about on what he should do.

"Do it for me." Izumi said in a soft tone as she moved a hand to his cheek. "You don't have to trust them but you can trust me. I told Sona that _I _was willing to give Rias a chance so she'll be judged and evaluated by me, that goes for Sona and the other members as well. If anything happens to the girls or us because of them it is on me, I will take full responsibility for it okay?

Bryce let out a small sigh as he stared into Izumi's emerald eyes.

"Fine…." He answered before giving her a small glare. "But… if they step out of line or make one false move that revolves around hurting you or the girls then I will give them their own personal hell." He said as his right eye glowed black before reverting to normal. "Other than that, I will follow whatever you decide."

"That's all I ask for." Izumi said as she gave him a soft smile.

"So what is your plan then?" He asked her.

"First we need to call up Sera." She started as he gave her a blank look, but she ignored at gave him a small glare. "Just do it."

Standing up, she walked over to his drawers and pulled out item staring intensely at it before setting it on top and pulled out a phone and quickly called a number.

**_*Ring* Ring*_**

"Sera-nii!"

**_"Bryce-chan!"_** Serafall answered in surprised tone. **_"I didn't think you would call me this late, is something wrong?"_**

"No, I have a question to ask you." He turned to Izumi as she nodded her head at him.

**_"Sure what is it?"_**

* * *

It was the day of wedding as many nobles were gathered for the marriage between the Gremory heiress and Phenex heir, everyone enjoying the party.

Rias however, was far from it. She had a frown on her face as she stared at the mirror gazing over her dress that was very similar to a wedding dress. Thinking about her last night before her fate is sealed.

"Rias… I'm sorry that things turned out like this…" Akeno apologized with a frown as she stood beside her king. She was wearing a black kimono with a white obi sash.

"No…" Rias gently shook her head as she turned her queen. "I brought this on myself. You, Kiba, and Koneko, you all did eveyrhting you could to help me be free and got hurt because of it. Even after all the training we did, it still wasn't enough. I should've been a better king. If I was, then all of you wouldn't have to follow me down this path of unfortunate."

"Rias…" Akeno called out to her king, feeling incredibly sad at how the redhead was feeling. Grayfia also felt bad and wanted to be more of help but could not since she was only a maid of the family, not being able to do anything more.

Outside the room, Kiba and Koneko were silent as they heard the king and now, they couldn't do anything about it.

Far down the hall, watching the two was Izumi who only smiled as she was simply waiting for her other half to come. She was dressed in a dark blue maxi dress with black heels. As she left the peerage, she made her way to the hall and looked around trying to find a certain person and a moment later she found her target.

Making her way over she greeted a certain Sitri member.

_'Now to play my part.' _Izumi said to herself before coming up to the Sitri heiress. "Hey there, Sona-chan."

"Izumi-san…." Sona replied, a bit surprise at the arrival of the brunette. "I didn't think you would come."

"Really?" Izumi questioned before placing her fists on her cheeks and pouted at Sona. "It sounds like you weren't expecting me too."

"Well, considering your um… predicament with Rias and with your partner…" Sona worded as Izumi then giggled in reply.

"Oh, don't worry about that." Izumi waved off as she put her hands behind her back. "It's something we have to work out eventually so why start a fight?"

"Are you okay, Izumi?" Sona asked as the brunette gave her a confused look.

"Yes, is there something on my face?" Izumi asked with a head tilt.

"No, it's nothing." Sona shook her head as the brunette nodded her head and stared at the altar where Riser was who had an arrogant expression on his face.

_'Oh such arrogance…. I can't wait to see the look on his face when I eat his flesh…' _Izumi thought hungrily as she licked her lips, but sighed as she realized that she wouldn't be able to. "Drats, I forgot I can't do that. Well there is always next time."

Sona who was watching noticed her behavior and was wondering why she was like that. She met the girl as a calm and peaceful girl that cared about her sisters, so why was she acting funny and playful all of a sudden?

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard people start murmur and turned their attention to the carpet floor where they saw Rias slowly walking to the front with a straight face but Sona could tell that she was keeping it up for appearance and knew that she was hurt inside.

However, she and everyone else were unaware of what was about to happen next.

* * *

As the wedding was ongoing, Bryce was standing outside the doors that led to the hall. He was staring at it for a few moments complementing on what to do as they heard Riser's speech on the other side.

"Wow, he really is an arrogant groom." He said with an annoyed tone. He was wearing a costume consisting of a black spandex suit with black gloves and black boots with white stripes around his wrists and ankles. He had a bunch of tears all over his suit, the way they were cut though was similar to cutting up a stuffed animal as if it was falling apart. And he was holding a mask in his right hand. All of this hidden by his cloak covering everything but his face.

He then wondered what kind of an entrance he should make, but then he heard the minister that was reaching to the end of his speech.

_"If there's anyone who like to say a few words as to why these two younglings should not marry, speak now or forever hold your peace." _

Bryce eyes glowed black with white pupils before pulling his right foot back and said one word.

"Boom."

* * *

Before the minister could marry Riser and Rias, an explosion occurred at the entrance where the doors were blown off the hinges and onto the ground with dust clouds appearing.

As everyone freaked out, Izumi only smiled as she knew who it was that crash the wedding.

"Who goes there!?" Riser spoke with fury that his wedding was interrupted. His reply was met with the sounds of footsteps as a figure emerged from the dust clouds.

Leaving them, was a person in a black cloak with a hoodie making his way to the front as people silently murmured at the newcomer.

Now in front of the cloud, Bryce looked up and stared up scaring both Riser and Rias as the facemask. It was blank and had a half expression on his face. The left side was smiling and the right side was frowning and had two red lines running down from the eyes to the end of the mask.

"Hello there." He spoke in a monotone.

"Who are you peasant? How dare you enter our realm?" Riser said glaring at him.

"Relax, child. I'm simply here as I was handed this invitation." Bryce said as he pulled out an envelope with a Gremory seal on it. "Sorry about the mess but I just couldn't help myself."

"Well even if you are here as a guest, could you please step aside as I marry my bride?" Riser ordered him.

"Hehehehehe." Bryce chuckled but it was not a normal chuckle, the way he laughed it sounded like a devil that was revive from the depths of hell. "Now that would be rude because your future bride is unattainable."

"What!?" Riser shouted, not believing that someone had just insulted him.

"Because I came here for a different reason. I didn't come here to watch the wedding between two high-class devils, I came here to dissolve it." He said earning gasps from the room. His words attracted trouble as devil guards came all around him and held spears towards his body. "Is there a problem?"

"You dare ruin the wedding between me and my bride?" Riser roared as Bryce shook his head.

"More like arranged wedding." He said as he pointed a hand towards Rias. "I can read her emotions loud and clear. I think everyone in the room can, she doesn't want to marry you." He then pointed to Riser. "And you clearly don't know what the word rejection is so I guess you're just about as dumb as a headless chicken."

"If I may…" Sirzechs interrupted them. "Would you be so kind to remove your mask, we wish to know who is the mysterious entrepreneur that wishes to disrupt this engagement."

"Of course." Bryce said as slowly lifted his hand up to his mask, grasping the edge and then slowly removed it. As everyone watched him, a few faces had their eyes widened in shock and one brunette with a smile on her face. Kiba, Koneko, Akeno and Sona were speechless as they saw Bryce's face as he stared at the Maou.

Rias was staring in awe at the person before her. The boy that wanted nothing to do with her, the same boy that had given her the harsh truth about herself had come to save her.

_'Did he… did he come here to save me…" _Rias thought to herself before shaking her head negatively. She remembered that the boy made it clear that he didn't want anything to do with her, so Sona must've asked him for help. She turned to look at Sona but the Sitri also had her eyes widened in shock. Which meant…._ 'He came here…. Of his own free will.' _

_'He told me straight that he wouldn't come here, he made it very clear that he wanted nothing to do with Rias... unless….' _Sona quickly turned her head to Izumi who simply winked at her before gazing back up front.

"You maggot!" Riser recognized him with fury his flames slowly igniting.

"Hi." Bryce just gave him a mocking wave before pointing towards the back. "And right behind me is my plus one."

Izumi giggled as she made her way out of the crowd and into the opening.

"Hello~" She greeted with a cheerful grin.

"You!" Riser said again as he remembered the brunette from his last encounter. "Why are you here?"

"We came to stop the wedding." He said and pointed to Izumi. "Well I did, she came here because of the excellent food and whatever."

"Aww, that's mean you know." Izumi pouted.

"You didn't deny it. Plus you always wanted to go to a fancy gathering and wanted to judge their food." Bryce replied in the same tone. His words earned him getting his cheeks pulled by Izumi.

"Not funny."

"I will kill you." He said in a normal tone as people around them sweat drop at the site.

"Enough!" Riser interrupted as his wings materialized with intense heat, the two teens stopping what they were doing. "I find it unacceptable that you two peasants came here to interrupt the marriage that I have earned, and for that your actions shall be punished!"

"Now calm down, Riser." Sirzechs interrupted once again before facing Bryce. "There is a better way to settle this. You wish to dissolve the marriage of my sister and Riser, therefore a duel shall take place."

"I smell a challenge." Izumi said with eagerness.

"It's not really a challenge when we're facing an arrogant Phenex with no actual battle experience." Bryce stated as he shook his head. "Such a shame."

"You dare mock me, boy?" Riser said with disgust in his tone, not taking the insult lightly.

"Well, it would be fun if I was fighting all of you but since its just the king it's not a fair fight." Bryce joked as he simply shrugged his shoulders, his comments angering Riser every second.

"You wish to fight him and his peerage?" Sirzechs asked, his voice filled with curiousness while the people around them looked at Bryce like he was crazy…. Which he was.

"Well, it would be more entertaining. And don't all devils like flashy events or something like that?" The puppeteer voiced, earning a small chuckle from the Maou.

"Hmhmhm, you're a curious one." Sirzechs stated as Bryce shook his head negatively.

"She's the curious one, I'm just mentally unstable." He explained, everyone around him didn't know whether to take it a joke or seriously.

"Well Riser, do you accept these terms?"

"Tch, I will not require my peerage to defeat a lowlife like you. I will end this battle and incinerate you within an instant." Riser stated.

*Sigh* And here I thought you were a man Riser, a very prideful one at that. A Phenex that backs down from no challenge but you are simply not, if anything you are a dog." Bryce said with a shrug in his shoulders as if he found it boring.

Rias looked at him like he was crazy, is he trying to rile Riser up and add fuel to the fire?

"What did you call me?"

"*Giggle* you heard him, dog. You're all bark and no bite Mr. Yakitori. I mean most nobles back in our world would relish the chance of beating lowly peasants and watch them suffer the sting of defeat in humiliation but you say you don't need your peerage to beat us. And you think you can take us on by yourself. *Giggle* I find that funny." Izumi commented with a playful expression.

"You were almost taken out by Rias who despite the lack of peerage members she was still able to bring you to just you and your queen on the battlefield and it was her first Rating Game. You're confident enough to think that you beat a human like me but you have no idea what I can do, it's only because of arrogance like that that will lead you to your downfall." Bryce stated.

"If you are so eager to die then I shall will give you your request. I will have my entire peerage facing against you two, and when I win, I will take her from you and burn you into nothing but ashes!" Riser declared, earning wide eyes from everyone but Sirzechs who remained calm and was curious to see how this would all play out.

"May I ask for your names?"

"Bryce Hayate." The puppeteer went first and then the brunette.

"Izumi Hyoudou."

"The battle between Riser Phenex vs Bryce Hayate will commence underway. If Riser wins, he will claim Rias and her peerage along with Izumi Hyoudou and if Bryce wins then the wedding is canceled and he will have one wish granted." Sirzechs announced as a teleport circle appeared underneath all three of them.

Suddenly, Bryce, Izumi and Riser were transported to another place in time. As soon as they were gone, Rias was approached by her peerage and Sona.

"Rias, are you okay?" Akeno called out to her.

"I'm fine… but…" the redhead thought for a second before speaking. "I didn't think that he would be fighting for me." She said in disbelief.

"Yes, it's quite shocking…." Sona added as well.

"…do you think he can do it?" Koneko spoke the question that they had on their minds.

"…I do…" Rias admitted. "Both of them are strong, from Koneko's observation of Izumi and our battle with Bryce they won't be taken down lightly. If anyone can beat Riser it's them."

"But to fight the entire peerage, don't you think that's a little too much to gamble?" Kiba asked.

"Hmhmhm, I think we should have some faith in them. Otherwise they wouldn't have so casually mocked Riser." Akeno said as the sitri beside her nodded her head in agreement.

"Only one way to find out…" Sona said as they all watched the screen above them, ready for the battle to come.

* * *

As they were transported, Bryce and Izumi found themselves on one side of the battlefield and noticed their surroundings. There were in an abandoned city with broken windows, fallen debris and overturned cars.

"Looks like we're here."

"Good." Izumi sighed in relief as she looked down at her dress. "I'm not used to wearing heels." She said as she took them off and in an instant, she was in a different attire. She was wearing a black blouse with a white mini skirt, black knee length socks and white sneakers, with fingerless gloves. "Much better."

"So, when do we start?" Bryce asked as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Beats me." Looking down she saw Riser in battle clothes and his peerage members all around him sitting in different spots or they were standing. "But I guess it's whenever they start attacking or when he announces it."

"Let the battle begin!" Sirzechs announced immediately.

"Why does the universe do that to me?" Izumi said with a deadpanned expression.

"You just make it more fun." He said as he turned to her. "Should we go all out or no?"

"Nah, these people won't be worth it. Don't get me wrong I don't usually get cocky but with the power we're feeling right now, these guys are just toys as Aunt Tia would say." Izumi stated as Bryce nodded his head. "Plus, I want to keep our identities a secret just a little longer. They'll find out about us in due time."

"Very well."

"Split up." Izumi suddenly said as her best friend turned to her.

"Wanna take half?" Bryce asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well…." Izumi said as a chin was propped in her right hand before she shrugged her shoulders. "…eh why not?"

Suddenly they both felt an intense amount of heat, looking up they saw a fireball coming their way causing them to jump and dodge. As they were separated, they found themselves in different locations with half of peerage members surrounding them consisting of 1 bishop, 1 knight, 1 rook and 4 pawns each. Riser and Yubelluna were floating above wanting to see their members demolish their opponents from above.

Bryce came face to face with Marion, Burent, Ile, Nel, Ravel, Siris, and Isabella, while Izumi had Mira, Shuriya, Ni, Li, Xuelan, Karlamine and Mihae.

As the puppeteer was wondering which girl, he should go for first, both twins ran at him first.

"Hey Ile, he's all dark looking and shadowy. I don't like it." Ile said as she stared at Bryce.

"Me neither Nel, let's go ahead and dissemble him." Ile shouted as she revved up her chainsaw, her twin doing the same thing.

"Yeah, cutting time!" Nel exclaimed as their chainsaws were roaring and they were engulfed in flames. As soon as they rushed, they attempted to hit Bryce only for the boy to jump back and dodge their attacks. One would cut after the other but they kept missing his body as he dodged by sidestepping and back two feet away.

"Hey! Stop dodging!"

"Let us cut you into pieces! Hold Still!" Nel added as Bryce did exactly that. He stopped moving as both of them became confused before they decided to attack together and jump in the air, doing a downwards slash to hit him.

But instead of hitting him, Bryce delivered a powerful kick to both bellies of the chainsaws and knocked their weapons out of their hands. They were caught in surprise before both of them were caught by Bryce who delivered a quick neck chop, knocking them out before he set them both down on the ground.

"That's two down."

"Oooh, someone's confident." Marion stated as she started running towards him, Burnet was above him coming down for a kick on his head.

"Let's change that." Burnet added. However, Bryce grabbed both of their feet shocking them and before they could do anything, he quickly pulled them forward and delivered neck chops once again before setting them down.

"Four."

"You better not go easy on us…" Isabela stated as she took a stance. "We're stronger than we look."

"Relax, I only knocked them out because they were overconfident. You two however, don't underestimate your opponents and want to see how strong they are. Am I right?" Bryce guessed as Isabela and Siris nodded their heads.

"Why didn't you count me?" Ravel asked wondering why he left her out.

"You don't seem much of a fighter." He answered bluntly.

"Hey!"

"Sorry." Bryce said before suddenly right beside her. "But, I'm gonna have to ask you to be right with your brother." He said as he patted her on the back and suddenly, she vanished from site causing to other two to look at him in alarm.

"What did you do to her!?" Siris asked. Bryce didn't say anything as he simply pointed his finger straight causing them to look behind them and their eyes widened as they saw Ravel flying right next to her brother.

"W-What!?" the blonde shouted in surprise.

* * *

"He teleported her?"

"How he did he do that, there was no signs of him using any magic?" Akeno asked.

"Why did he send her back though, to not fight her?" Kiba asked.

"….He should've taken her out." Koneko stated.

"No, that's not it." Rias said earning their attention. "He wouldn't have sent her up there unless he did it for a reason and it wasn't because he didn't want to fight her, it's something else."

"You're sure of this?" Her queen asked.

"If there's anything I learn from those two, is to expect the unexpected." The redhead summarized as she turned her attention back to the battle before her, averting her eyes over to Izumi who seemed like she was humming.

* * *

The said brunette was indeed humming as she simply dodged or parried physical attacks from Xuelan and Karlamine. She had already dealt with the other 5 members by simply moving fast and sending a punch to their solar plexus knocking them out quickly as for the cat twins she simply bash their heads together which knocked them out cold.

As she jumped away from them, with her hands tied behind her back, she noticed that both girls were very fatigued and she tilted her head at them.

"You girls tired? I was hoping we could play a little longer."

"Play?" Xuelan growled in annoyance at the brunette. "You haven't been doing anything but dodging and taking us out in one shot." Xuelan

"You're fighting like a coward, simply waiting for us to tire out and then attack." Karlamine said as she regained her breathing.

"Oh, am I really? Or are you Chun-Li over here just too slow?" Izumi mocked playfully. "Because true fighters wait for an opening to attack or was that lesson not engraved into your brains by your egotistical and sorry excuse for a king, Yakitori?" Izumi said as she blew a raspberry at him.

"Why you little…" Xuelan quickly lit her fists and feet on fire before rushing towards the brunette. Karlamine enchanted her blade to be engulf in flames and wind magic before she rushed forward as well.

Xuelan delivered a bunch of jabs, then followed up with kicks to Izumi who continued to parry the attacks, the fire not even burning her hands. Izumi then followed up with her jabs and kicks, boxer style, causing Xuelan to get back and try to parry them. However, every attack seemed to be getting faster every Izumi struck causing her to lose her track of the attacks giving the brunette and opening, Izumi punched Xuelan in the gut staggering her and spitting out a glob of blood from her mouth. Before she could regain her stance, Izumi delivered a right hook to Xuelan's cheek and sent her flying over to a car and crashed against it before falling down to the ground.

"Xuelan." Karlamine gritted her teeth before going after Izumi. She slashed upwards, downwards and then tried stabbing her but the brunette blocked the first two and dodged the thrust attacks. With a battle cry, Karlamine jumped back and swung her sword forward sending off a blast of fire and wind at Izumi, who smiled at the size of the fireball. Izumi emitted a blue energy blast from right palm and then shot it forward firing it against the magic attack. As soon as her energy ball touch the fire it was simply absorbed into the ball causing Karlamine's eyes to go wide in shock.

"It was absorbed!?" She called out before feeling a punch to her chin. Izumi gave her an uppercut with her right hand before opening her left hand and the energy ball flew towards her hand like a missile. Once it settled on top of her palm, she fired it at the knight and on impact caused a huge explosion, sending the girl flying over the Xuelan and onto the ground skidding a few feet before stopping.

"*Sigh* well that sucked." Izumi sighed as she stretched her arms over her head. "I wanted a real challenge, but this turned out to be boring. I wish auntie and uncle were here." She complained before simply going over to her partner who should be finished up with his fight by now.

And she was right. As she came over, she saw Siris knocked out by a tree and Isabella panting as Bryce held one arm against her.

"You're strong." Bryce said as he looked down at the rook.

"Hmhm, so are you. I've never met someone that as strong as Riser…." Isabela could feel her conscious starting to fade away. "I would like… to fight you again…. Someday…."

"I look forward to another match." He said nodding his head at her, the latter gave him a small smile before succumbing to her injuries and was gently set down on the ground. "When this is over, we're healing them. It's the least we can do for them."

"Of course." Izumi nodded her head before turning her head up to Riser, Ravel and Yubelluna. She let out a smile as she smashed her fist into right palm. "I get the queen."

"King and Bishop for me then." He said as he moved his left hand behind his back, his fingers moving weirdly like he was trying to signal for something. Izumi got it as she held out her right and closed it into a fist like she had caught something before putting it in her pocket.

Riser was gritting his teeth in anger. These two teenagers, no worms had dare come into their world and ruin the wedding that he so rightfully deserves. They taunt him, mock him and they beaten his peerage as if they were nothing and now, they were looking at him with bored expressions that pissed him off.

Ravel saw her brother's face and quickly move away knowing that he was about to explode as did Yubelluna.

"RRRRRRAAAAA!" Riser roared into the skies as his flames grew brighter and burned with such intense heat. "I will not let a peasant like you do this! I will not—ugh!" Before he could finish, Bryce had disappeared and elbowed him in the gut.

"We're going somewhere else." He said cryptically as a portal opened behind them and they went through.

"Riser-sama!" Yubelluna and Ravel shouted in unison as Izumi suddenly appeared in front of the former.

"Now its just us!" She said before aiming a swift kick towards Yubelluna who had barely dodged in the nick of time. Izumi sent two more kicks to her, the latter dodging before she sent a bomb blast towards the brunette. The bomb was barely medium sized as Izumi knocked it away before punching the Queen in the face and sent her hurling towards the ground, crashing on impact and making a crater.

"Bull's eye!" Izumi shouted as she rushed down towards the purple-haired woman.

Grunting, Yubelluna looked up before gasping and quickly moving away from the crater as Izumi foot stomped in the same spot missing her target. Yubelluna quickly created three balls of purple energy and fired them all at once. Izumi dodged by jumping away and landing behind a tree, but soon looked up and smirked.

"Now we're getting somewhere." She said as she saw a barrage of orb bombs heading her way. Izumi took off running and jumping from tree to tree as each bomb had hit its target missing her by every few meters before the last one came and caused a huge explosion. Izumi rolled on the ground before skidding on her feet to stop herself and then saw a giant orb coming down on her from above.

Yubelluna panted as she was in the air watching her bomb rained down on Izumi, she needed a recharge and she needed it now. She was surprised when she saw Izumi's fist become covered in a green aura as she punched straight up into the air, a blast of air firing into the bomb dispersing it immediately catching her by surprise.

_'This is not good. It's time I use the Phenex tears before she-what?!" _Yubelluna was thinking calmly until she reached into her pocket and felt the inside was empty, where the Phenex tears was suppose to be stored at. _'Where is- where's are the tears?' _

"Looking for this." Yubelluna looked down and saw Izumi tossing something in her right hand, her eyes widening as she saw the vial of tears in her opponent's hand.

* * *

"What!?" Several people exclaimed as they saw Izumi with the vial.

"She has Phenex tears, how?" Kiba asked as Koneko remained silent as she watched in awe.

"She swiped it off of Yubelluna but when did she get it?" Akeno wondered, trying to figure out how Izumi took the tears.

"I don't know. The whole time Izumi's been fighting she hasn't made a single move for grabbing." Rias answered while Sona was thinking to herself.

_'She didn't but I think I know who did…' _Sona thought as she remembered seeing Bryce do something with his fingers, it almost looked like he was playing the piano in thin air but she knew that he was doing something else entirely.

* * *

Speaking of which, Bryce and Riser were now in an abanoded battlefield as the boy threw the arrogant heir down to the ground who crashed with a hard thud while he landed on his feet.

"Alright, Riser. Let's settle this once and for all." He said as dome of flames lit up in front of him as Riser emerged from the spiral vortex with rage in his eyes.

"I'll reduce you to ashes!" He roared as he created two fireballs in his hands and threw them at Bryce. The said boy raised an eyebrow before raising both of his hands and caught the fireballs before smashing them together emitting a small explosion. As the dust clouds clear, there was no damage done to him or his hands with nothing but smoke rising.

Riser was shocked at this before grunting and decided on a new plan of attack. Forming a giant fireball, he flung at it Bryce as the ball got larger and larger while getting close to him. The puppeteer's eyes widened as his hand made a claw and he swung his arm sideways and suddenly the flames were dispersed in a single slash, passing by him.

Back in the hall, everyone was shocked at seeing the Phenex flames become ineffective against a human. A human who entered the devil world with no problem and is holding his own against someone who could be seen as an immortal.

"Is that it?" Bryce taunted angering the heir as he suddenly rushed to meet with the Phenex head on. Riser not being prepared, quickly flew upwards barely dodging a swift axe kick and grinned, since he couldn't fly the Phenex heir knew he had the advantage in the air.

"Ha ha ha! Too bad you can't fly like us devils, human!" Riser taunted back as he raised a hand to form multiple fireballs and aimed them at Bryce. Before it could reach him, they were all sliced out of thin air like the giant fireball. "What!? How is that possible!?"

"Simple. You're arrogant, prideful and you rely on your power too much especially your immortality." Bryce said, rolling his eyes at the word immortality.

Riser laughed at this. "My immortality what makes you different from me. It is only a power that runs in my family, and it is because of this power that you cannot beat me."

Laughing was heard once again but this time it didn't come from Riser. He stopped laughing and looked at Bryce who was laughing darkly and his head was tilted.

"There you go again… acting like your invincible and nothing could touch you… It's that kind of thinking that makes you nobles arrogant." Bryce looked up with blank eyes. "Let's change that."

Riser then yelled in pain as his chest started burning, which he found impossible that his own flames were hurting him. Looking down he saw lines that were entered inside his body and trailing from his to Bryce, and before he could say anything something was tugged out of his chest.

"AAAHHH!"

Riser looked and saw Bryce holding an orb that was white with flames circling around it.

"Huh, and here I thought be a little bit bigger." He commented as he opened his right hand before suddenly crushing the orb. "And there we go."

"Hmph, was that it? A tiny ball was all you could gather from me, you really are weak boy." Riser mocked with arrogance.

"Riser, what would you lose first, your leg or your arm?" Bryce questioned him. Before Riser could answer he suddenly heard a slashing sound and saw his right arm flying in the air, descending to the ground. "Arm it is."

"Heh, you really are fool boy." Riser smirked thinking that the human still didn't understand that he couldn't be beaten, he was waiting for his arm to regenerate except…. he felt nothing but pain in his right arm. "AAHH! What's happening!? Why can't I heal!? Why can't I feel my magic?"

"Remember what I just said…." Riser saw a pair of feet meaning that Bryce was now standing in front of him. However, when he looked up he flinched as he saw his eyes covered by his hood. "….I would change that mind set of yours, your arrogance, your ego and your pride… it's going to be taken away from you…"

"What did you do to me, you worm!?" Riser roared.

"Is it not obvious…. I completely removed that family trait of yours… the thing that makes you a Phenex…." Bryce then opened his eyes instead of his normal brown eyes, they were black sclera and white eyes. "I took away your immortality."

* * *

All guests were frozen at his words…. This human in front of them used magic and not only stop Riser's regeneration, he completely removed his family trait keeping him from healing his wounds.

"No way… he can… he can do that." Kiba stuttered at the display.

"I heard of seals and spells that can block off regeneration but..." Sona thought as she looked straightly at Bryce and couldn't help but lightly shutter at his eyes, how soulless and empty they looked. "…there's no spell known out there that could take away someone's magic."

Rias was silent as she stared at Bryce and Izumi, these two humans weren't just people with magic. She completely underestimated them, it made her wonder to her first fight. Could he have really taken away her own magic, had she pushed too far? Could Izumi do the same?

_'If anything, I'm lucky I just got bruised in that fight.' _Rias thought to herself. _'Still, its amazing how strong they are…' _She then looked down at her own gloved hands. "Can I be that strong too…?"

* * *

Izumi was chuckling as she tossed the vial in her hands before catching it and destroy it in her hands completely.

"Now that that's out of the way, what should I do with you?" She questioned as she stared at Yubelluna and then Ravel, and frowned. She vanished from the air and suddenly grabbed the blonde and carried her bridal style. "Sorry, little one but I can't have you here for this part." The brunette then flicked Ravel on the forehead and was put to sleep before being transported away. "Now, let's get to the fighting."

Izumi raised her hand into the air and suddenly the world around them was shaking. Yubelluna looked around but didn't see anything coming for her until she looked up and her eyes widened in shock. Coming from above was a giant meteor accompanied by multiple small meteors hurling towards them.

"Don't worry, this won't hurt a bit." Izumi said in a gentle tone before tilting her head and her pupils turned black with white eyes. "This is going to hurt a lot!"

* * *

"You cannot do this, return my powers now!" Riser roared in anger before getting kicked in the chest.

"You are no position to demand anything." Bryce said in an emotionless tone. "I control your fate now."

"My fate, you don't understand what you are doing you worm!" Riser insulted him as he stood up clutching his bleeding arm. "This marriage is an impact for us Devils. All the Pureblood Devils are dying out and that will not be accepted! You are ruining this factions' future!"

"Future… you ruined your own future." Bryce started as he was now in front of the downed Phenex. He made a motion with his hand causing the blonde to grunt as he felt his body in pain.

"What are you-?"

"I'm controlling your body." Bryce revealed as there were white threads trailing from his hands down to Riser. "I planted these threads on you right before we came here. I can control these threads like a puppeteer and make you do anything, but that's just a hint of my power. I can use these to bind, slice and control anything or anyone and I think I will use it to shred you from the inside out."

"You can't do that!"

"Oh, I think I can. You can think of it as payment for what you said the other day. In your words, you said once you were done with Rias, you would deal with me and take my best friend or as you called her a whore." Bryce stated, his voice dripping with venom. "and then after that you would move onto my sisters who are only a year younger than me and have them inclined to serve you… to think you would do that to my own sisters…. Is pathetic…"

**_He DESERVES DEATH!_**

_'Death, huh?" Bryce wondered before shaking his head. 'No I have something better.' _

"Do you fear death, Riser?" Bryce started as a black aura slowly surrounded his form. "Because I think that would be fitting for someone like you. Someone who only relied on his talents became an egotistical brat thinking he get anything he ever wanted…." As he was speaking, he was slowly formed his hand into a fist which was making Riser screamed in pain as he felt his insides being all twisted. "….too bad, such a shame."

"Let me go, you filthy—AAAHHHH!"

"**I'm sorry, what was that-?**" Hearing a different voice, Riser looked up and his eyes widened as he saw something that made his fear for his life. He saw an image of a dark shadow with a white mask smiling like a ghost and strings all over its fingers, and Bryce was smiling just like it…. But it was terrifying. "**I didn't hear you clearly…**."

"Y-you…. What are you….! You can't be…. Human!" Riser was stuttered in fear as he stared at the phantom before him, that was giving off this aura of death and without his regeneration, he felt like he was going to die.

**"Do YoU FeAr DeAtH!?"** He said once again and this time he smiled as the aura increased tenfold sending off powerful shockwaves. **"BeCaUsE ThIs Is YoUr FiNaL BoW!"** He then raised his hand as the entity behind him raised its hand as well before following its masters' movements and swung its claw down at Riser, performing a giant explosion.

As the dust settled and dispersed, it revealed Bryce eyes covered by his hood and his arm still hovering over Riser. The said blonde wasn't dead however, he was actually whimpering as Bryce's hand was embedded in the ground beside him, inches away from his hair.

Bryce then removed his hand and he stood up, staring at Riser with a blank expression before grabbing him by the shoulder.

"We're done." He announced and he was suddenly teleported from the battlefield.

* * *

Bryce was back outside the mansion as he looked around and saw the ORC along with Sona, Sirzechs and Grayfia looking at him in stunned silence.

"Wonder what's got them quiet?"

"You did, dum-dum." He turned over and saw Izumi with her hands on her hips, a playful smile on her face. "Everyone here thought you were going to kill playboy over there."

"No, that would be unnecessary. Besides, I think I scared him enough." He said before turning to Sirzechs. "Sorry for the horror show sir but it was necessary to someone like him. He threatened my sisters."

"Hmhmhm, that is quite alright young man. I can understand your intentions considering what we have just watched and heard." The redhead Maou spoke in a calm tone. "It was very entertaining and intriguing to watch. Therefore, as the winner of the match the wedding between Rias and Riser is officially off."

Rias felt a huge weight of her chest as her eyes started to water and labored breathing trying not to cry, she was free. She was finally free from her arranged marriage.

"And as the winner you are granted one wish."

Bryce nodded his head. "I don't have any to think of at a particular moment, is it okay if I save my wish for a later date?" He asked as Sirzechs nodded his head.

"Very well."

"Bryce-sama, Izumi-sama, you should leave before anyone sees all of you talking so casually." Grayfia suggested.

"Of course, until then let's we meet again under better circumstances." Bryce said as the both Grayfia and Sirzechs nodded their heads in agreement. The boy then turned around to the ORC and Rias. "Ready to go home?" He asked, Rias who gently nodded her head in agreement.

* * *

They were back in the human world as they saw it was nighttime and they were in front of the academy.

"Looks like we're back home." Izumi announced as she stretched out her arms. "Mmm, I need a bath."

"Well I guess, this is where we part ways…. And …" Rias was trying to find the right words to say to Bryce but was stopped as he held his hand out in front of her.

"Before you start, I need to say something…. to all of you…" He said catching their attention.

"Both of us, actually." Izumi added as she walked over to him.

"I just have a few words so I'm going to make it short. I don't trust you and the only reason I did this was because Izumi asked me to." He said earning shocked looks from them and then gave them a hard glare. "You all have earned my wrath because of your actions, and I don't care whether you hate me for this or not. I'm only to give you this." He said as he held up a finger.

"One chance?" Akeno guessed.

"No, one wrong move. That's all it takes to set me off now because of your foolishness and blindness. If you do one wrong step that hurts Izumi or any of my sisters, or do not treat them like normal people than I will personally kill you in the worst way possible. It doesn't matter whether you are royalty or not." He said earning a glare from Kiba.

"Is that a threat?" He growled which seemed to be a mistake as Bryce suddenly appeared in front of him and gave him a bone-chilling glare.

"**It'S A PrOmIsE! AnD I KeEp My PrOmIsEs!"** Bryce said darkly scaring all of them with fear before he turned around and started walking away. He stopped by Rias and turned his face towards her and gave her a harsh glare. _"__**OnLy WaRnINg, RiAs**__!" _

As he walked away, Bryce turned to Koneko who was visibly shaking at him, he let out a small frown before walking away with his going around him disappearing into the night.

"Well that could've gone better." Izumi chirped as came up to them.

"Do you have something similar to say, Izumi?" Rias asked with a frown, thinking that she was going to do the same thing Bryce did.

"Actually, I do. We saved you because of favor from Sona. Asia and Mittelt would be enrolled in school and in return we save you from your marriage." Izumi stated.

"….So that's what he meant when he said treat them like a normal person instead of treating them like enemies." Koneko thought as the brunette nodded her head.

"Hai, you guys really screwed up with him. And like him I don't trust you either because of everything that has happened." She said as Rias looked down knowing that she had deserved this. Izumi let out a sigh as she spoke. "But… I'm willing to give you a chance."

They all looked up at the brunette with wide eyes.

"You're wanting to start over?" Akeno asked in surprise.

"Not start over, more like redemption." Izumi explained as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "If anything, you should thank Sona for this, she's been really stubborn on trying to get us to look at you differently. Your stress for your marriage combined with us coming in and causing you problems had affected ability to make rational decisions." She said.

Akeno was about to interrupt but Rias held her hand up and shook her head negatively stopping her Queen from speaking. She needed to hear this.

"I want you to work your way up. Trust is something that is like glass, easy to break and hard to reform. You are going to work yourself and your peerage to earn our trust, not just mine but Mittelt and Asia's as well." Izumi said in a stern tone as Rias nodded her head in agreement.

"I know I have a lot of work to do. I've also took Bryce's words to the heart and admitted to my own failures. There were times where I did have free time to help Akeno, Kiba and Koneko, I could've helped them moved on from their past but instead I pampered them and avoided it. All I've done was keep them from reaching their potential, including my own and look where it got us." Rias said as she was angry at herself for holding her family back from reaching their strength.

"….Buchou."

"Rias…" Kiba and Akeno had frowns on their faces as they watched Rias berate herself.

"And that's why I want to get stronger… so I never have to put them in situation like this ever again. Next time, I will be strong enough so I can fight my own battles and my friends won't have to worry about me."

_'Well at least she's starting somewhere.' _Izumi thought before turning around. "Good, now I will see you tomorrow at school. I have other matters to attend to at the moment." Izumi said as she gave them a playful wave before leaving them going in the same direction.

Soon she caught with Bryce and ran up to him before jumping on his back and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Surprise~" She teased as she pressed her breasts against his back and leaned her head against him.

"Nice to see you too." He said before wrapping his arms around her legs and started walking home, both exhausted from the day's events.

* * *

**Author's Note: Chapter has been re-uploaded with different parts in the middle and ending. I will explain the reasoning next chapter but if you have any questions, please ask in pm. **


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